It's Always Been Him
by Nehnah14
Summary: Best friends Bella and Edward are seperated for eight years. They meet again and navigate through heartache, pain, obssesive ex's to finally find their way to each other. AH All Canon Couples
1. Chapter 1

**It's Always Been Him**

_**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight nor its characters, SM does. I do however own this plot and Edward….Ok maybe not Edward, but a girl can dream, right?**_

**Chapter One**

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

It's a beautiful day for an engagement. My Engagement. This should be the happiest day of my life, so why did I feel sick to my stomach? I looked up at the man who would become my husband in a few short months time, my Fiancé, Jacob. I loved him, sure, but did I love him _Love_ him?

I sighed quietly to myself and for the hundredth time asked myself if I had made the right choice, sure we had been friends for many years and he had stood by me through my darkest years. We had started 'dating' two years ago and to be honest he and my mother had been the ones to push this engagement. I said yes simply because for me my dream alternative was not an option and though I knew it was not fair to Jake, I still said yes. I didn't notice my father walk up until he reached for my other hand; the one that was not encased in Jacobs.

"Bells? Are you ok, honey?" I looked up into my dad's deep brown eyes. I saw so much love and concern there that I didn't have the heart to tell him anything but my usual lie.

"Of course, Dad. Why wouldn't I be?" Charlie crinkled his nose at me. He knew me well. I shook my head at him silently trying to convey that I didn't want to discuss anything further.

"Izzy! Jake! Congrats you two!" I turned to see Leah, Jake's Uni friend saunter up and place a kiss on Jake's cheek before placing one on mine. I knew Leah wasn't really happy for us as she had the hots for Jake herself. Funnily enough, I couldn't find it in myself to be jealous of her attention to Jake. Weird, I know, but I just didn't feel possessive in the least. I guess I just wasn't that type of person.

"Thanks, Leah. How are you?" I asked politely

"I'm fine. Same ol', same ol'. You know..." she shrugged and I smiled at her lack of enthusiasm. Leah and I worked for rival firms. I enjoyed my job. Leah didn't. She worked as a paralegal secretary and hated having to get coffee for 'big ass brainiacs' as she called all us attorney's.

"Yeah, I know" I answered. Jake gave my hand a squeeze then released it as he went over to speak with his sister and her husband. I turned back to Leah.

"So..." I began, not knowing what exactly what I was going to say. Fortunately I was saved by a very Alice-like squeal from behind me

"Isabella Marie! I cannot believe you!" Oh boy, Alice sounded mad. _Wait! What? Alice was mad? Why?_ I turned to find the little pixie storming through the guests towards me. I cringed at the pure fury and pain etched on her tiny beautiful features.

"Hi Alice" I said resignedly

"Don't 'Hi, Alice' me Izzy-Bella!" I sighed. Ever since I had decided to ditch my school name Bella in favour of a more mature sounding Izzy, Alice had taken to calling me Izzy-Bella. I really didn't understand why. I mean, it was longer than my actual given name for god's sake! But Alice was Alice and nothing could change her mind once it was made up.

"What's wrong, Alice?" I asked. Alice stared at me for several moments before grabbing my hand and pulling towards the house. I followed quietly. Like I said Alice was Alice. She towed me through the house and up to my bedroom, slamming the door behind her. She let go of my hand and pointed to my bed

"Sit" She commanded. I walked over to my bed and sat down on the edge and waited for Alice to speak as she paced back and forth. I watched as she went from my door to my window at the opposite end and back again, several emotions played across her face. Hurt, anger, pain, pity, love. I just couldn't understand the reason for them being there. Finally she stopped at my window, looking down at the garden below where all my friends and family where gathered. She turned slowly to face me and I was shocked to see tears in her eyes. I was by her side in a flash.

"Ali, what's wrong? Are you ok?" She shook her head and wrapped her arms around my waist and sniffled

"Izzy-Bella, Why? Why are you doing this?" she whispered. I felt myself tense. I knew where this was headed. She and I had had this conversation thousands of times in the last eight years. Albeit with several different outcomes, but it always started here.

"Ali, not now Please. Not now" I pulled away from her and returned to my bed and sat down, my head in my hands

"Why not now? Izzy-Bella, you _don't love_ him! You know it and I know it! The only person who doesn't know it is Jake! Hell, forget that, I think even he knows it! Bella, you love Ed-" I shot up from my bed

"Don't. Alice, don't say it!" I all but snarled at her. She stamped her foot. Yes, she actually _stamped_ her fucking foot at me!

"Give me one good god dammed reason why not, Bella? I mean for god's sake! WHY THE FUCK NOT?" she was screaming at me. I sank back on my bed, tears streaming down my face. I knew the reason and so did she. Because she was right and I didn't want her to be right. Eight years later and I still loved my best friend. But I had lost him. I lost him to a blonde, sexier than thou Tanya. Alice sat down on the bed next to me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

"Oh Bella. After all this time, you still haven't figured it out?" I looked at her through the haze of my tears and shook my head.

"It's _Him_. It will _ALWAYS_ be him. For you there will never be anyone else, baby girl" I could do nothing but sob. She was right and I knew it, but there was nothing I could do about it. I was engaged to Jake and I did love him enough not to hurt him, not to mention the fear I had of his temper.

Half an hour later, Ali and I walked back downstairs to rejoin the party. We hadn't resolved anything, but at least Ali understood my decision to marry Jake a bit better and even if she didn't agree with it, she accepted it as my choice. The only problem was I wasn't so sure that _I_ accepted it. Somehow I didn't see this going far, but I didn't want to admit it out loud for fear of making it true.

Monday morning dawned bright and warm. I couldn't help but smile. I loved summer. It was my favourite time of the year. As I dressed for work, I couldn't help it think back to Saturday and the moment when Jake saw Alice and I walk back into the garden. The look on his face was unfathomable as he took in my red rimmed eyes. Of course he had asked if I was ok and I said I was. What had stuck with me was the sadness in his eyes when I said that I was fine. I wondered then and now if he had guessed what Alice and I had been talking about. I shook myself out of my musings and grabbed my laptop bag and keys and headed out into the sunshine.

I arrived at work just after 8.30am. Earlier than my usual time of 9.30am. But I was due in court at 10am and there were papers that I need to pick up before I got there.

"Hi Yvette" I called to the paralegal secretary in my department as I walked passed her desk

"Hi Izzy. How are you? Good weekend?"

"Yeah, not bad. You?"

"Yeah. My son's team won their football match on Saturday, so I've had nothing but kids around celebrating all weekend" She shook her head "How about you? Do anything nice?" I groaned inwardly. I knew it was time to come clean and tell her about my engagement. It would leak somehow anyway.

"Yeah. Jake and I got engaged on Saturday" I had barely finished before Yvette squealed and jumped up from her desk to rush over to me

"No way! You sly thing, you! Show me the ring!" I held up my hand where Jacob's 2 carat diamond ring sat "Wow, Izzy! That's some ring! He must really love you!" my smiled faltered. I knew what was coming next

"Are you happy? You must really love him! Oh! You need an engagement shower!" I gently extracted my hand from hers and stepped back slightly

"No, no shower, please. Yes I am happy. Thank you. I gotta run, Siobhan. Court date!" I waved as I turned and hurried to my office. I could feel the tears prickling my eyelids and I wanted to be alone if they were going to make an appearance. I shut the door to my office and walked over to my desk, setting down my bag and laptop. I sank into my chair and leaned back, resting my head on the headrest. What is wrong with me? I had a gorgeous guy who loved me, wanted so badly to marry me. So why was I not happy about it? I shook myself out my thoughts as my cell rang.

"Hello?"

"Izzy-Bella?"

"Hi Ali. What's up?"

"Nothing. Are you free for lunch?" I smiled. Alice and I worked only a few blocks from each other so we met up for lunch frequently. Once every other week Rosalie joined us. It was a bit further for her as she had to come from Richmond. But she had to come over for work anyway.

"Yeah. I'll be in court until about 12.30pm, but I'll be free after that. What are you thinking?"

"1pm. Bella Italia?" Bella Italia was our favourite restaurant not far from our offices. Alice always found it ironic that our favourite restaurant was named after my name. I knew better. It was just a coincidence.

"Sure, Ali. Isn't Rose coming down today?"

"Yeah. She'll meet us there" I could literally hear Alice bounce up and down in her excitement. My smile got wider

"Great! I'll see you guys there then!"

"Okay Izzy-Bella!" I sighed

"Izzy, Ali. Just Izzy" I reminded her. She _pssht-d_ at me

"You will always be Bella to us, honey. But seeing as you insist on being called Izzy now, I compromised and decided to call you Izzy-Bella!" I couldn't help but laugh at her logic.

"Ok, fine Ali. See you at 1pm"

"Ok. See ya!" I hung up the phone.

An hour later, I was on my way downtown to the courts. I went over my notes for the case as the cab manoeuvred its way through the New York traffic. It was a simple case of drink driving, but my client was fighting it. I knew I would lose the case, but this is what I was getting paid a pretty penny for.

"That'll be $25, Ma'am." I glanced up and saw that we had arrived at the courthouse. I paid the cab and got out and walked up the steps. I was half way up the steps when I froze. I saw a flash of bronze hair. Familiar, so familiar. I slowly started forward again, keeping my eyes peeled for that familiar sight.

I had just reached the top when I spotted the sight again over the top of the rush of people who were bustling around me. I stopped dead and stared, unable to believe my eyes. I couldn't reconcile the sight in my mind. It couldn't be. Yet those long forgotten tingles told me it was so.

And then, as if he had felt my eyes on him he turned. Slowly. And then, he was staring right back at me, his mouth open in a silent 'O'. There in front of me stood the one face I had never thought I would see again; the one face that had haunted my mind and dreams for the last eight years, the one person who had the power to break me. The only person I had _ever_ given that power to.

Edward Anthony Masen-Cullen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**BPOV – _Eight Years Ago_**

"Edward! Get your lazy ass out of bed! We're gonna be late...AGAIN!" I was standing outside the Cullen house; hand on the horn of my truck screaming up at the open window of my best friend. I saw his head pop out of the window, bed hair and all.

"What the hellBell? I'm coming! Hold your horses!" He gave me my favourite crooked smile. I shook my head

"Well, hurry your ass up!" This was our daily routine. I would roll up bright and early to pick him up for school and always had to wake him up. Esme andCarlisle, his parents, didn't even bother to open the door anymore. We had been doing this every morning for nearly four years now.

How the boy managed to get such good grade in school I would never know. He was late every morning, thus making me late by association. Not to mention he hardly seemed to pay much attention in class.

"C'mon, Kitten! We're gonna be late!" I rolled my eyes as Edward jumped into my truck and gave me his signature smile. I got in and turned the key

"You know, Tiger. One of these days, I may just forget to pick you up and then what would you do?"

"Pft. You would never forget me, Kitten. You love me too much"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Tiger" He was right and he knew it. So did I. Besides I never could stay mad at him when he used his nickname for me. He calls me Kitten because he thinks I look like a kitten trying to be a tiger when I get angry. Pft, as if!

We arrived at school with five minutes to spare before the first bell rang. As we headed down to our lockers I noticed that there seemed to be a bit of buzz in the air.

"What's going on?" I askedAliceas we walked up to our gang, who, as usual were standing by our lockers waiting for us.

Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, Edward and I had been friends since my first day at this school nearly five years ago. Emmett is Edward's older brother. He, Rose and Jasper are seniors, while Alice, Edward and I are juniors. We were a tight knit group. Emmett and Rose have been dating for two years now andAliceand Jasper for nearly a year. They sometimes joked and said maybe Edward and I should hook up too, seeing as we were the odd two out of this group of couples. Of course, we always scoffed at them. It wasn't like that for us. We were just the very best of friends

"New girl started today. Tanya."Alicereplied. Emmett snorted and raised his eyebrows at Edward. I sighed and shook my head. Yes, my best friend was the best looking guy at Cal High. It was no secret. But even for that he was a very sweet person who did not mess around when it came to girls. A gentleman to a fault. I wasn't stupid, I knew Edward had dates. Most of them were bimbo's who did not get what he was all about and I thought he was stupid for even asking them out.

"What?" Edward asked, clearly confused

"What? I didn't say anything!" Emmett snorted again, earning him a slap upside the head from Rose "Hey! Babe, what was that for?" He asked rubbing the back of his head. You would think he would expect that after two years of dating Rose, but for some unfathomable reason, he was surprised every time

"For being a douche, Em. Leave Edward alone and don't try anything" Rose responded with a smirk and a wink in my direction. I rolled my eyes at her and her smirk only got wider.

"On that note, peeps, I'm off to class" I waved as I turned and walked away towards my English Lit class. I heard footsteps behind me. I knew who it would be. I felt his arm snake round my shoulders

"Wait for me, then,Bell. Why you running off?" Edward asked as he fell into step with me.

"I'm not running, but in case you didn't notice, the bell has rung and we're getting late for class" I retorted

"Jezz,Bell, bitchy much?" Edward rolled his eyes at me and smirked. I continued walking and ignoring him. We had just reached our classroom when Edward stopped me and spun me round to face him. My breath caught in my throat at the panicked expression on his face.

"Edward? What is it? What's wrong?" I was starting to panic myself at the look on his face

"Jessica. She's waiting at our table!" He hissed. I looked into the room and sure enough, there was Jessica Stanley sitting in Edward's chair. I could guess as to why she was there. I stifled the urge to laugh

"Yeah, she is. She appears to be waiting for you" I couldn't help but giggle a little

"Bell, it's not funny! She's been hounding me and dropping hints for me to ask her to the spring formal!" He shuddered at the thought and I try as hard as I could, but I couldn't stop the laughter

"Bell! Stop laughing and do something! Please!" Edward stamped his foot at me. Yes, he actually stamped his foot like a little girl throwing a temper tantrum and it only made me laugh harder.

"Ok. Fine! I'll deal with it myself!" Edward huffed as he turned to walk into the classroom. I caught his arm and pulled him back as I choked back more giggles. He stopped and faced me. His face was red and his eyes had turned a darker shade of green. Oh boy, he was angry.

"Wait. I'm sorry. C'mon Tiger, I know how to deal with this. Hold my hand and play along" I grabbed his hand and we walked into the classroom. As soon as I grabbed his hand, I felt a little electric shock go through my fingers, up my arm. I didn't know what to make of it so I decided to ignore it. Jessica looked up as we approached our desk. Her face lit up when she spotted Edward and then in almost the same moment her face fell when she spotted our intertwined hands.

"Hi, Jess" I said as we walked up

"Um...Hi, Bella. Edward." Jess shifted uncomfortably in Edward's seat. I took it as my cue to snake my other hand up Edward's arm and brought it to rest at his elbow and I would be lying if I said that the feel of his arm underneath my hand didn't send a thrill through me. Edward quirked his eyebrow at me and I nodded my head infinitesimally

"Hello, Jessica" Edward said, quite formally

"What's up, Jess?" I asked sweetly

"I…Um…I just wondered ifEdwardwasgoingtothespring formalandhadadateyet" Jessica said all in one breath. I smirked and shook my head

"Yeah, he's going and yes he has a date. Happy?" I continued in my 'sweet' voice. Jessica's eyes widened perceptibly at my insinuation but to her credit she didn't say anything. She gazed from me to Edward and then down to our joined hands. Finally she nodded slightly, got up and walked to her desk, slightly red in the face. I couldn't help but snicker. I glanced up at Edward and found that he was staring at me with an expression I couldn't decipher.

"What? It got rid of her, didn't it?" I asked, shrugging my shoulders and pulling away from him to take my seat. My hand felt tingly and warm from touching Edwards. I tried to shake it off as Mr Banner walked in and class stared.

Half way through class, I was still trying to ignore the tingly feeling in my hand when a scrap of paper landed on my notebook with Edward's elegant handwriting

_What the hell was THAT?_

I shook my head and glanced at him out of the corner of my eyes and found that he was still looking at me with the same undecipherable expression. I scribbled my answer in my less elegant script

_What do you mean? I thought you would be happy for her to leave you alone?_

He shook his head back at me and wrote his response

Not that! I know what that was! I meant the…..hand thing

I stared at his words. _Did he feel it too?_ I wondered to myself. I turned fully now to stare at him. He was looking back at me with a slightly confused look on his face. I studied him for a moment then decided to play safe and brush it off.

_What? All I did was hold your hand, Tiger. It was only to get Jess of your back! No need to freak! Or are you worried that I cramped your style?_

I smirked at him as I passed the note back for him to read, but inside I had a million thoughts racing through my mind. Had he felt the shock too? Why had touching him shocked me? What did it mean? He's your best friend, stupid! It doesn't mean anything! You were simply static! The paper landing on my desk interrupted my inner thoughts. I let out a slight sigh of relief when I read his words. I wasn't ready to answer his questions because I didn't have the answers myself

Yeah right! Cramp my style? As if! You know the girls love me and nothing you do will change that!

My response was simple

_Arrogant bastard!_

He snorted and shook his head. He gave me a look as if to say _Jealous much? _Edward and I could actually conduct full blown conversations with our eyes and expressions. We knew each other so much that we didn't always need words. I responded his silent question with a roll of my eyes which I knew he would translate to _Yeah, whatever!_

At lunch, Edward and I met outside of my Gym class. The only class we didn't have together and walked to the cafeteria to meet the rest of the gang. The subject of our hand holding didn't come up again and for that I was eternally grateful. I didn't have answers and quite frankly I didn't want them either. I was afraid of what the answers might be. We spent lunch laughing and joking, as was our usual way and thankfully Edward did not bring up the incident at English Lit again.

**_Two weeks later_**

I had picked Edward up for school as usual, but the atmosphere in the car was slightly tense. Edward was tense and in turn that made me tense. I couldn't figure out why, but I sensed that he had something on his mind and didn't know how to share it. That was odd, since we had never had a problem in the past. Edward and I knew everything about each other and I mean _everything_. We shared a lot of the same thoughts, passions, interests and friends.

We had reached the school parking lot when I finally turned to Edward and demanded that he talk.

"Edward! What the hell is up with you this morning! Spill it!" Edward stared out of the windscreen, not meeting my eyes, I waiting, growing impatient. I was about to start yelling at him when he finally spoke

"Tanya asked me to the spring formal" I felt my heart skip a beat. I felt pain. I don't know why, but I felt pain.

"Oh" was my most articulated response

"Yeah. Oh"

"So…did you say yes?" Edward winced slightly then nodded. My heart sank to my stomach and I felt a lump in my throat. I couldn't speak so I simply nodded and got out of the car. Edward stepped out of the passenger side. I still had my back to him, I couldn't look at him. Not just yet. I was fighting tears and trying to swallow around the lump in my throat.

"Kitten?" Edward called softly from behind me. I turned and froze. The look in his eyes stopped me in my tracks. It was…sadness…pain…longing? Or maybe I was just fooling myself, because suddenly his eyes cleared and he turned and walked away into the building, leaving me standing in the misting morning.

I followed him slowly, only catching up to him as I neared our lockers. The gang was already there, waiting for her eyebrows at me as she notice Edward and I walk in separately, but said nothing. Emmett, however, being the clown he was did not fail to make a comment

"What's up, dude? Lover's tiff?" he boomed at Edward, thus earning him a slap upside the head from Rose, "Ow! Now what?" he muttered as he rubbed his head. I couldn't help but smile at the big lug. I loved him like a brother and he never failed to make me smile.

"Shut the fuck up, Em" I heard Edward growl. I was surprised at his tone. He never spoke to Em like that. For brothers, those two were extremely close and I had never once heard them fight.

"Wow, Ed, what's got your panties in a bunch?" Rose quipped

"Nothing. Just leave me alone, ok?" Edward grabbed his books from his locker, slammed it shut and stalked off towards our first class. For once, he didn't wait for me and that realization hurt.

"Hey, Bella, what's up with Edward today?" Aliceasked, I shrugged and followed Edward to class. _What was wrong with him?_ I asked myself _Hell, girl, what's wrong with YOU?_ I had no answer to either of those questions. All I knew was I was hurting and I had no idea why it hurt me so much to hear that Edward would be going with Tanya to the spring formal.

The day passed in a haze of pain. Edward and I did not speak for the rest of the day. At first I was hurt and upset, but towards the end of the day I was merely angry; angry at him and angry at myself. I couldn't understand why and that made me even angrier. Finally at the end of the day, I lost it. I found him waiting by my car, leaning casually against the passenger door. He had run out of our last class of the day without waiting for me as he usually did and that only served to fuel my anger and now here he was leaning against my car, looking as if nothing had happened. When he looked up and gave me his crooked smile, I lost it. I saw red. I stormed up to him and stopped not ten inches from his face

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Edward?" I hissed. He looked at me surprised

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? What do I MEAN? I'll give you what I mean, Edward! All day! All fucking day you have ignored me, not spoken to me, not looked at me and you ask What. Do. I Mean? Are you fucking serious? How dare you treat me like that! If you can't speak to me, then fuck you Edward Cullen! FUCK YOU!" I turned, slipped into the driver seat, turned on the engine and drove off with that. As I looked in the rear view mirror I could see Edward standing in the same spot I had left him, head bowed. At that moment he looked so lost that I almost turned around and went back. Almost, but I didn't. I was still too angry.

The phone was ringing when I got home an hour later after driving around trying to calm the fuck down, but I ignored it. I knew it would be Edward and I was still too angry to speak to him. The phone rang for a long time before it went quiet. Then my cell rang. I sighed and fished it out of my bag. I was surprised to see the name flashing on the screen. Emmett. I clicked the answer button

"Emmett?"

Bella? Bella! Where's Edward?" Emmett sounded panicked and that panicked me. Emmett never lost his cool, he was too laid back

"What? What do you mean?"

"He ran out of the parking lot after you left muttering something about needing to talk to someone and your name, but he hasn't turned up at home. Is he not there with you?" now I was seriously freaking out. I knew I should have stopped. And then his word whirled in my head _'Tanya asked me to the spring formal'_ and all of a sudden my anger resurfaced

"No Emmett, he's not here. Try at Tanya's. I'm sure he's there having a wonderful time" I said scathingly. I heard Emmett suck in a sharp breath

"Bella…Oh for the love of God! You two are so infuriating! You can't see what's right in front of your damn faces!" I was shocked. I had never and I mean _never_ heard Emmett lose his cool

"Em? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Forget it! I'll go find him myself!" He huffed in response and hung up. I sat staring at the phone in my hand for a long moment. I have to find Edward. He could be anywhere. But where do I start looking? And then it hit me. Tanya. I launched myself off the sofa and out the door, only pausing to grab my keys and a jacket.

Ten minutes later, I pulled up outside Tanya's house. I took a deep cleansing breath and tried to prepare myself for what I knew was coming. I stepped out of the car and walked up the path to the front door. I stood on the porch for another second before I knocked. I had the most sickening feeling in my stomach. I heard footsteps approach the door and then it swung open to reveal a gorgeous strawberry blond in skin tight jeans and a tank top.

"Hi Tanya…Um…How are you?"

"Well, well, well…look who we have here? Isabella Swan. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I winced at the fake sweetness of her tone.

"I…Um…Have you seen Edward?" I stammered

"Yes" She stated simply. It didn't look like she was going to elaborate, so I took another deep breath and asked

"…And? Is he here?" I was starting to get irritated

"He may be…He may not be. What is it to you exactly?" Tanya snapped back at me, dropping all pretence of being nice

"He's my friend. It's got everything to do with me!"

"Not anymore. He's _mine_ and if you know what's good for you, you'll stay away from us!" I staggered back a couple of steps, shocked at the confidence of her tone. It was then; as I looked passed her into the house that I spotted the black and white checked shirt Edward had been wearing this morning over his grey T-shirt hanging on the banister. My hand went to my mouth as I felt bile rise up into my mouth. Tanya followed my gaze and saw what I was looking at. She turned back with an evil glint in her eye

"Now, if you will excuse me, my _boyfriend_ is waiting for me. We were in the middle of…of a very intimate moment when you so rudely interrupted us and I would like to get back and service _my_ man! If you know what is good for you, you will stay away from him, Bitch!" With that she shut the door in my face, leaving me standing on the porch, feeling sick. I felt the tears prick my eyelids. I turned and stumbled back to my car. I wanted to get out of there. The images of Tanya and Edward, _my_ Edward tore at me, sickening me. The pain was intense and so overwhelming.

I was just pulling up to my house, with no memory of how I got there, when I heard my phone buzz in my pocket. I pulled it out and stared at the .

"Alice, I-" and then, I was sobbing. I couldn't stop

"Bella? Honey? What's wrong? What's happened?"Alicewas shrieking down the phone but I couldn't catch my breath enough to respond just yet "Bella, Sweetie, you need to calm down and talk to me! What's happened?"

"Edward" Was all I managed to whisper. I heard silence on the other end and for a minute I thoughtAlicehad hung up and then I heard her inhale deeply before she exhaled

"I'll be there in ten minutes" Then she hung up. I stumbled my way out the car and up the path to the door. I could barely see straight through my haze of tears.

Not even ten minutes later Alice marched through my front door and plopped herself down on the sofa next to me. I had not stopped crying. My mind had been going round and round in a whirlwind. So many thoughts and so much pain. The only thing I couldn't understand was why? Why was I in so much pain at the thought of Edward in Tanya's house? In her bed. In her arms. I sobbed inAlice's arms and told her about the whole confrontation with Tanya. After what seemed like hours my sobs quieted to sniffles and I finally pulled out ofAlice's arms. We sat in silence for a few minutes thenAlicespoke

"Bella, you love him" She spoke so softly that I wasn't sure I heard her at first

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said, You. Love. Him" she said it more clearly. I sat there stunned for a moment

"Of course I love him, Ali...he's my best friend!" I said

"Yes, Bella, he is, but that doesn't change the fact that you love as more than a friend and he loves you too, you both just don't know it yet" I stared at Alice, dumbstruck for a long moment and then I shook my head and got up and started me from the couch and then got up and planted herself in front of me on my turn from the window to the couch

"Bella, look at me" I stopped and looked up at her. She had her eyes closed "What colour are my eyes, Bella?" huh?

"Um...Alice...What..."

"Just answer the question!" She still hadn't opened her eyes

"Ali, you have your eyes closed, how can I answer that without looking at them?" I no move to open her eyes

"What colour are Edward's eyes?" she whispered

"Green" I answered opened her eyes and I was shocked to see tears in her eyes

"Funny isn't it, Bella? I'm here and I've known you for as long as Edward has, yet you can't tell me what colour my eyes are"Aliceshook her head sadly.

_Hmm...Why couldn't I tell her what colour her eyes were? _

_Because you do love Edward, you dork. It's obvious isn't it?_

_Not to me it's not. I've never thought of Edward in that way._

_Oh haven't you? Last week? When you were holding hands with him are you telling me you didn't feel anything?_

_Oh, Shut up._

Aliceinterrupted my internal debate

"What are you gonna do, Bells? He's dating Tanya, right? Can you live with that? See him with her every day?" I shook my head. I knew I couldn't. So the question now was, what am I going to do?

"I need to think, Ali" I don't know why I said that. I knew what my decision was and the wayAlicewas looking at me, she did too.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" She asked quietly. I paused then nodded. I walked to the phone and picked it up. I dialled my Mom's number inNew York. She picked up on the second ring

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mom"

"Bella? Sweetie? What's wrong?" I sighed. Trust a mother's intuition to pick up on her child's mood

"Mom, I want to come home. Can you book me the first flight home, please?"

"Of course, Bella. Are you ok? Is Charlie ok?" She sounded panicked and I was quick to reassure her

"Yes, Mom. Everything is fine. Can I explain it when I get there, please? Just get me the hell out of here" I heard Renee sigh on the other end

"Fine, Baby. Give me 20 minutes and I'll call you back, ok?" I nodded

"Thanks, Mom"

Speak to you in a minute, honey" She hung up. I turned and foundAlicestaring at me, her head cocked to one side

"What?" I asked

"I'm coming with you"

"What? No. You can't do that, Ali!"

"I'm coming, Bells. Just let me go home, pack and explain things to my parents"

"Ali-"

"No, Bella. I'm coming" with that she walked out the door. I shook my head. As much as I hated to admit it, I needed her with me. I sighed again and picked up the phone again to call my Dad. He answered on the third ring

"Chief Swan"

"Daddy?"

I explained that I was going back toNew Yorkand told him not to worry and that I would call him soon. He sounded worried, but didn't argue with me. He must have heard something in my voice. I had just put the phone down after speaking to him when my mother called and gave me my flight details. North-western Airlines, leaving from LAX in four hours. I would have to rush to make it. I made one final phone call toAliceto tell her which flight to book, and then ran around packing my bags.

OnceAlicearrived ten minutes later we left for the airport. As we drove away I looked back at the house I had called home for four years and promised myself I would come back one day. The tears rolled down my cheeks unchecked. I hadn't called Edward, Emmett or Rose to tell me she had spoken to Rose and told her everything. All I could do was nod.

As I stared out of the back window at my home, I whispered just one thing and felt my heart break into a million pieces.

_Goodbye, Edward. I love you._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**EPOV – **_**Present Day**_

_Dammit!_

I was running late. I needed to be at the courthouse for 10am and I was running fucking late!

I raced out of my apartment and hailed a cab. Luck was on my side today, because a cab pulled up immediately.

"Courthouse, please" I sat back in that cab as the driver pulled out into the New York traffic. I spent the ride going over the application I was filing. A restraining order against Tanya. That girl had hounded me for eight god dammed years and I had finally had enough. She had chased away my best friend, all my friends, actually and it was now beyond ridiculous. I had moved away from California to Boston to get away from her and she followed me there and now I had moved to New York City and she had fucking followed me here too. How she kept finding me was beyond me.

She had stalked me relentlessly. Sure we had had a fling eight years ago. After _She_ left, we had hooked up a couple of times. It was nothing more than a good fuck. Hell, it wasn't even good. I barely enjoyed it! I was hurting over losing my best friend. I couldn't believe she had left without saying good bye to me and in anger I slept with Tanya. It wasn't until later that I found out what she had done to her. After that I stayed clear. Not that it helped matter. She still continued to hound me.

"$20, please?" I looked up; we had arrived at the courthouse. I paid the cabbie and slid out into the sunshine. I glanced at my watch. I had made it. 9. 50 Am. Phew. I flew up the steps, dodging people as I went. I skidded to a stop in front of my lawyer.

"Sorry! Traffic" I panted as I tried to catch my breath

"It's ok. Courts running a bit late anyway" Mike Newton shrugged. We stood chatting for a few minutes. We had just finished discussing the procedure when I got a prickly feeling at the back of my neck. I felt an electric pulse go through me. There was only one person I knew who I had ever felt that with. I turned slowly, scanning the area. And then my eyes locked on deep chocolate brown ones. Only one person had ever incited that electric feeling in me. Bella.

My mouth opened into an 'O'. I stood staring at her. She looked...grown up, sophisticated, hell she looked gorgeous! Bella stood staring back me, quite obviously in shock as well. I took a step towards her and stopped. She had taken a step back; her hand had come up to cover her mouth. Her eyes were wide and I could see her hand shaking.

But that wasn't what got me shaking. As she brought her hand up, I saw the ring on her finger. _She's engaged? Why hadn't Jazz told me that? Hell, why hadn't Jazz told me she was in the same damn city as me?_ I knew Alice kept in contact with her, hell they were the best of friends. Just like...Just like she and I used to be.

I took one more step towards her. I couldn't help it. I felt as if some kind of magnet was pulling me towards her.

"Kitten?" I whispered her name for the first time in eight years, my voice cracking

"Izzy! How are you? Got a court date?" I spun round to see Mike Newton striding towards Bella. I was confused. Who was Izzy? I watched as Mike walked up to Bella and shook her hand

"Hi Mike. How are you? Yes, a DUI" I heard Bella respond after taking a moment to gather herself. Mike nodded. _Bella was a Lawyer? Wait! Izzy Swan? THAT'S Bella?_ I had heard of her. She had been mentioned in Business Weekly a couple of times, but I had never once suspected that it was my Bella.

_Hold up! MY Bella? What the fuck?_

I cleared my throat and Mike turned

"Oh! Izzy! Let me introduce you to Edward Cullen, my client. Edward, this is Izzy Swan, one of the hottest legals around" Mike waved me over. I walk slowly toward them and held out my hand

"Hello Izzy" I said softly

"Hello, Edward" Bella was looking down, biting her bottom lip. I felt the familiar current run through me and I was lost in the memory of that day in school when I had felt that current last.

"Edward, Judge is ready for us. Shall we?" I was irritated with Mike for interrupting, but I pulled away. I glanced back over my shoulder as I walked into the courtroom and saw that Bella had turned her back to us. But that wasn't what made me want to turn round and run to her side. Her shoulders were slumped and shaking. She was crying.

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

Of all the courts, I had to bump into him here? I watched as Mike and Edward walked away into the courtroom. I couldn't stop the tears from falling, so I turned away, I didn't want Edward to see me cry if he were to turn around. It was a shock, but I still felt the pain in my heart. He remembered me. He had called me 'Kitten'. I had not heard that for years. He was the only one that ever had.

I pulled my phone out and dialled the one person who would understand.

"Hello?" She answered on the first ring

"Alice?" I sniffed

"Izzy-Bella? What wrong?"

"I saw him" There was silence on the other end "Ali? Are you there?" I asked when she hadn't spoken. I heard her sigh

"Are you ok, Izzy?" I stared at my phone for a moment. She hadn't asked who I meant. That meant...that meant she had known he was in NYC

"Ali, did you know?" I hissed into the phone. I heard her sigh again

"Yes"

"How long?"

"Two years, Bells" I gasped. Two years? Edward had been in NYC for _TWO_ years?

"_TWO YEARS_, Ali? Why the hell didn't you ever tell me?" I was practically shouting now and getting looks from passer-by's, but I couldn't have cared less. The world I thought I had built around myself was coming crashing down on me and my best friend had known.

"Bells, you asked me to never talk about him. You know that Jazz and Edward are best friends. You know they kept in contact!"

"Yes, but two _fucking_ years, Ali? You let me go on thinking I had left my past behind me in California and you knew he was here!" I was shaking and I couldn't help it. Seeing Edward had opened up a chest of pain in my heart that I thought I had locked up tight long ago

"Bells, please. You didn't want to hear it. To be honest I'm surprised it took even this long for you guys to meet. I knew it would happen eventually" I looked up to see my co-counsellor waving at me. Court was about to go into session

"This conversation is not over, Alice. Do you hear me? We will continue with this over lunch. I will see you, as planned at 1pm at Bella Italia" I snapped the phone shut and took a deep breath, calming myself before I walked into court.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**EPOV – **_**Present Day**_

I walked out of the courtroom two and a half hours later, but for the life of me, I couldn't tell you what had happened in there. My mind was too full of Bella. I shook hands with Mike and walked back out into the sunshine, scanning the crowd as I went on the off chance that I might bump into Bella again. I sighed and pulled my phone out

"Hello!" Emmett answered on the first ring

"Em, I saw her" I waiting for Emmett to ask who and was surprised when he didn't

"How was she?" Emmett finally asked. I was shocked. How had he known who I was talking about? I hadn't said her name. Unless...Unless he knew she was here?

"Emmett? How did you know who I was talking about?"

"I...Um...You just told me!" Emmett stuttered

"No, Em, I didn't. I didn't say her name!" I said through gritted teeth. I heard Emmett exhale loudly on the other end

"Ed, bro, I've always know she was here. Ali, remember?" I should have known. Alice would have told Jazz and of course Jazz would have told Emmett. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed

"Lunch? Meet me at our restaurant in 10?" I asked. I need to do this face to face. I needed answers

"Ok. See you there, bro" I snapped the phone shut and called for a cab

Ten minutes later the cab deposited me at the curb outside Bella Italia downtown. Emmett and I had brought the restaurant four years ago as an investment opportunity. I had named it. Bella Italia. No prizes for guessing the inspiration for the name. She had always loved Italian food, so I had chosen to name it Bella Italia for her. I missed her. I had always missed my best friend.

I walked into the restaurant and was greeted by Laurent, our manager. He looked after the day to day running of the place and he was damn good at it too.

"Mr Cullen! What a pleasant surprise!"

"Hello Laurent. How are things?" I said shaking his hand

"Good, Sir. Very good. Are you stopping for lunch?"

"Yes. For two, please? Emmett is meeting me here" Laurent nodded and led me to a private booth. I slid in and ordered a coke with ice and lemon while I waited for my brother to show up. I didn't have to wait long. Emmett strode in, spotted me and slid into the booth facing me.

"Look, Bro, I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but you never seemed to want to talk about her after...well, you know" Emmett started right away, holding his hands up in a surrender gesture. I couldn't help but laugh. He was actually worried that I was angry at him

"Em, it's ok. It was just a shock, you know. I mean I haven't seen nor heard from her in eight years!"

"I know. I'm sorry" Emmett looked down at the table and then up at me. I smiled to show him that I wasn't upset and he seemed to visibly relax.

We ordered the house specials and started chatting about how she had looked and her reactions. We were still talking when Emmett swore

"Fuck" I looked up at him and saw that he wasn't looking at me, but over my shoulder. I turned to see what he was looking at and froze in my seat. Three very beautiful women had just walked in, but that wasn't the problem. No, the problem was that it was none other than Alice, Rosalie and...Bella. I felt Emmett stand up and turned back to see what he was planning to do. Before I could stop him, he had walked over to the girls and lifted Alice bodily. She was squealing and the other two were laughing.

"Emmett Cullen. Put. Me. Down!" Alice screamed. Emmett obliged and then turned to Bella and did the same to her. Bella was laughing and I could do nothing but sit and stare, dumbstruck. She looked beautiful. She was stunning as she laughed and screamed at Emmett to let her down, her mahogany hair falling in waves down her back, her eyes twinkling with amusement, her full pouting lips laughing. She was amazing

"Emmett! Put me down!" Bella was still laughing as she thumped Emmett on his shoulder playfully

"How are you girls? Long time no see!" I rolled my eyes. Trust Em to state the obvious, eight years _was _a long time

"Em, we saw you two weekends ago!" Bella replied, I stiffened in my seat. _Wait! What?_

"I know, Baby girl, but it's been an entire week too long!" Emmett finally turned to Rose

"Hi Rose" Rose smirked at him. Some things didn't change

"Hi Emmy, how are you?"

"M'good"

"So, what are you doing here, Em?" Alice asked

"Lunch with my bro" I noticed that he gave a sidelong glance at Bella. She had stiffened and Alice and Rose shot her a look I couldn't decipher. I decided it was time to go over and say hi. I walked slowly over to where they were standing. I didn't want to scare Bella. Alice spotted me first and squealed

"Edward!"

"Hi Ali, how are you?" I caught her in a hug, looking over her shoulder at Bella

"I'm great! How are you?" I nodded that I was fine

"Hi Rose" I said

"Hello Edward. How are you?"

"I'm good. You?" she nodded at me and then her gaze flickered to Bella. I took a deep breath and turned to her.

"Hi Bell" I said softly. Bella did not look at me

"Izzy. It's Izzy" She answered. I was confused. Why had she changed her name?

"No, you will always be Bell to me, Bell"

"I'm nothing to you, Edward and its Izzy. I.Z.Z.Y, Izzy!" I saw Bella's eyes flash and I nearly laughed at her tiger-kitten fury. Eight years had not changed her that much.

"Fine. Izzy. How are you?" I smirked

"I'm fine, Edward. And you?" Bella asked politely.

"I'm good. So you live in NYC?" I was dying to know what she had done in the last eight years and the reasons she had for never contacting me, but now was not the time to ask. Thankfully, Rose interrupted and broke the slight tension which had mounted between us.

"Shall we sit? You guys are welcome to join us for lunch, if you like?" Emmett glanced at me, a pleading look in his eyes. I nodded my consent. As if I was going to say no! Hell I wanted to speak to Bella more than he wanted to speak to Rose! We slid into the booth Emmett and I were originally sitting in. Alice, Rose and Bella sat facing Emmett and me. It was silent for a long time before Alice finally spoke

"So, Edward, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing much, Ali"

"Oh come on, Edward! What do you do for a living?" Alice knew full well what I did for a living. Jasper was my partner and she was Jasper's better half, but I knew she was only asking for Bella's benefit so I played along

"Well, as you know, Jazz and I own our own business. Architecture. We're doing very well. I have lived in NYC for two years now and am really beginning to love it here" At the last part my gaze flickered briefly to Bella. She was looking down at the table biting on her full bottom lip.

_I want to bit that lip! _

_What. The. Hell?_

_Oh come on, you can see what a beautiful woman she has grown into!_

Alice interrupted my inner musings

"Well, Bella is a Lawyer. She works for Volturi & Sons and she is good at what she does"

"Oh? Jazz and I use them!" I blurted out. Bella looked up at me at this, but still didn't speak

"Oh! What a coincidence!" Alice exclaimed just as Laurent walked over

"Mr Cullen, here are the figures you requested yesterday. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to courier them over to you" I cringed. I wasn't sure if I wanted the girls to know that we owned this place. I nodded and took the file from Laurent and waved him away. I caught Emmett's eye and gave him a pleading look. Emmett cleared his throat

"Yeah…Um…Do you guys like it here?" _Smooth, Em,_ I thought sarcastically

"Like it? Izzy-Bella and I come here every week for lunch and Rose joins us once or twice a month. We love it here! The food is great!" Alice, true to form was practically bouncing up and down in her seat. I couldn't help but smile. I really had missed her. And then something sunk in

"Izzy-Bella?" I asked

"Oh! Well, you know she likes to be called Izzy now, but I always liked Bella, so we compromised and I call her both!" Bella looked at Alice one eyebrow raised

"Compromised, Ali?" Her voice sounded like music to my ears after not hearing it for so long

"Ok, fine! I told her that's what I'm going to call her and told her to suck it up!" We all laughed at that. Typical Alice. I thought maybe we had gotten away with the restaurant thing, but then Rose spoke

"Why is the manager here giving you figures?" I winced and looked at Emmett. He seemed to be wearing the same expression as me. We looked at each other and then Emmett shrugged

"We own it" he stated simply. There was a stunned silence for a long moment and then

"You own what, Em?" Bella's voice was low; I could hear an undercurrent to it

"The restaurant" I heard Alice and Rose gasp and Bella suck in a deep breath. I watched several emotions play across her face until understanding dawned and then she looked up and met my eyes

"Who named it?" she whispered. It was the one question I wasn't sure I wanted to answer. I didn't say anything. I couldn't speak. I couldn't pull my eyes away from hers and for a long moment we simply stared at one another. She finally spoke again, this time louder

"Who named it?" she asked again. Emmett caught my eye and nodded. I took a deep breath in and then exhaled before I answered

"I did"

My words hung in the air in the middle of the table. For several moments there was silence at the table.

"So… _Bella_ Italia, Edward?" Rose asked with a sideways glance at Bella. I sighed. It was time to come clean on how much I had missed her, how much she had always been in my thoughts. I didn't really mind, but I had hoped to not to do this with an audience. There was so much that needed to be said, so many questions that needed to be answered, and so many angry words to be had

"Yes, Rose, _Bella_ Italia. Do you not like it? I always have" I answered, putting just as much emphasis on 'Bella' as she had. Rose shook her head a little frantically

"No, no. I think it's great! It's just…." I quirked an eyebrow at her in askance. In this entire exchange, neither one of us had looked at Bella. Rose let out a long breath, frustrated. I almost laughed, I had never once seen self assured, confident Rose flustered

"Ok, fine! I'll come right out and ask it, shall I?" Rose looked from me, to Bella, to Alice, to Emmett and then back at me "Why _Bella_ Italia, Edward? What was the inspiration behind that name?" Rose asked in a softer tone, still putting the same emphasis on 'Bella' as before. I raked my hands through my unruly hair and tried to bring my thoughts into some kind of semblance of sense. How would I explain it? It made perfect sense to me, but how to explain it to the three people who mattered the most in my life, after my family? Emmett laid his hand on my shoulder and gave me slight smile. Emmett knew I would be internally struggling, so I was grateful for his assurance at that moment. I took a deep breath and finally looked at the one person who needed to answer my own questions, Bella

"I named it Bella Italia, because I never stopped missing you. You were my best friend and you left without explaining to me why you were leaving or where you were going. No matter how far you were, I never forgot you and this was my way of proving that" There. I had said it. Bella simply stared at me, shocked. I gazed evenly back at her. Now was not the time to get into the whole 'Tanya' discussion, her resulting disappearance and my subsequent breakdown, but at least it was a step in the right direction. Bella finally spoke

"Thank you, Edward" she whispered, I felt my heart soar at the way my name fell from her lips. It had been so long since I heard it and it felt good to hear it once again. I nodded. She was here, she was finally here. In front of my eyes. Within arms reach. I so wanted to just reach out and pull her into a hug, but the memories of the last eight years without her stopped me. There was so much more I needed to know, so much more that she needed to know. Now was not the time, I told myself again. The time would come, but now was not it.

**APOV**

I sat back and watched two my best friends interact with each other after eight long years apart and I almost cried. The loved each other. I could see it as clearly as day. Izzy had admitted to me in college how she felt. Of course, I told her I already knew it. It hurt my heart to see her in pain and in pain she had been for the last eight years. Sure, she masked it with a smile, but I knew better. I knew _her_ better. The sadness had never left her eyes and on occasion I would see a flicker of some strong emotion flash through her eyes. Every time she saw a person with green eyes. Every time she saw the leaves in fall with the same bronze colour. Every time she heard _Clair De Lune_.

I watched my best friend - my sister - retreat into a shell and there was nothing I could do but watch, for the only person that could break her out was thousands of miles across country with no clue as to where she had gone. I cried often for them, but never in front of her.

I prayed one day, we would meet again, and that _they_ would meet again. Someone up there owed Bella and Edward for all the heartache. Today, that prayer had been answered. So as I watched Bella and Edward interact, I sent a silent _Thank you_ to the heavens.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**EPOV – **_**Eight years ago**_

I watched as Bella drove off in anger, leaving me in the parking lot. She was right; I had been a jerk to her all day. The thing was, I didn't exactly know why. This morning on the way to school I told her that Tanya had asked me to the spring formal. I don't know why, but a huge part of me wanted her to shout at me for saying yes to Tanya, to tell me I had no right to do that. Needless to say, I was very disappointed when all I got from her was an 'Oh'. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. Well, this was a fine mess. The only question now was how to fix it? I didn't want to lose her. I couldn't lose her. She meant way too much to me. She was my best friend, my companion, my world.

_What? Your what? _

_Yeah, I said it._

_Yes, but why? Are you in love with her?_

_No! Well, as a friend. Maybe? Oh I don't know!_

_What about Tanya?_

With that thought, I realised what I needed to do to make things better. I had to tell Tanya that it wasn't going to work between us. I refused to lose Bella over her. Bella was more important to me. I didn't even know why I accepted to go to the dance with Tanya. Oh, yes, I did. I was a hormonal teenager and had needs that had to be fulfilled and to me Tanya was an easy lay and its common knowledge that she frequently put out. It didn't hurt that she was a very good looking girl. I took a deep breath and ran. I ran all the way to Tanya's house, going through my mind as I ran in the lightly misting rain all the things I needed to say to her and how to go about saying them. Tanya had been hounding me for days. Chasing me. Following me. Asking me out with various pretences of spending some time with me alone. I had finally given in yesterday when she asked me to go to the spring formal with her. I had planned on asking Bella to go with me as friends, but like I said, I am a hormonal teenager after all. But my hormones were nothing compared to the guilt and pain I felt at the thought of Bella in pain. I couldn't do that to her.

I knocked on Tanya's door and tried to catch my breath while I waited for her to open the door. I was still, panting when Tanya swung the door open

"Edward! What a pleasant surprise! Are you ok?" I shook my head and followed her into the house. I shrugged out of the shirt I was wearing, hanging it on the banister as I went. The shirt was wet with sweat and rain and I didn't want to ruin any furniture

"Tanya, we need to talk" I breathed out, still trying to calm my breathing. Tanya gazed at me for a long moment and then nodded. She gestured to the sofa and I sat down.

"You're breaking our date" it wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway

"Look, I'm sorry Tanya. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, but I can't go to the dance with you" I looked at her apologetically. She was looking down at her hands and did not look up at me as she spoke

"Its Bella, isn't it?" I was surprised to say the least; I decided that honesty was the best policy

"Yes, but not in the way you mean" Tanya looked up at that, her expression disbelieving

"Why did you yes in the first place then?" I shrugged but said nothing.

We sat for over half an hour talking and then I left. I was nearly home before I realised that I had left my shirt behind. Damn! Now I would either have to go back and get it or ask her to bring it to me at school tomorrow. I really didn't want to go back so it looked like I would have to wait for her to bring it to me. I trudged up the steps to the front door, lost in thought. I had just made it to the top steps when the door swung open and two huge arms pulled me into a bear hug

"Em! Let me go, you douche! I can't breath!" I gasped out. Emmett released me and stepped back

"Where the fuck have you been, you dick? We've been worried sick!" I heard my mother snap from inside

"Language, Emmett!" I smirked at Emmett before I replied

"Out. There was something I had to take care of" Emmett stared at me for a moment, he seemed to be choosing his words carefully

"Bella?" He finally asked, I shook my head

"Tanya" Emmett gave me a knowing look, but I shook my head again

"Not like that, you sicko. I had to inform her that I couldn't go to the dance with her is all" Emmett looked surprised

"But I thought you had already said yes?" I nodded

"Then why did you tell her you couldn't?" Emmett asked, confused. I sighed

"Long story. I'm going to call Bell" Emmett grabbed my arm as went to pass him and dragged me away from the house

"Em, what the hell? Let go of me!" I jerked my arm out of his grasp and turned back to the house

"She's gone, Ed" I stopped, not sure I heard him correctly

"Who's gone?" I was confused

"Bella" I froze, unable to absorb what he was saying

"What? What do mean she's gone?"

"I mean, she's gone. She left town and she's not coming back apparently" I heard a rushing through my ears, I was faintly aware that Emmett was still speaking, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. I felt myself sinking. Drowning. I welcomed that blackness.

**EmPOV – **_**Eight Years ago**_

I caught Edward as he fell to the ground; he whispered just one word "Kitten" before he succumbed to the darkness. I was panicking

"Mom! Dad! Come quick!" I screamed as I carried my little brother to the house. My parents met me at the front door. Esme took one look at Edward and was in hysterics, crying and shouting at me, asking me what was wrong with him. I carried him over to the sofa and laid him down, then moved aside to allow Carlisle to examine him. I wrapped my arms around Esme and tried to reassure her. I knew I wasn't doing a good job of it, but it was either that or I started having hysterics myself. I watched Carlisle look over Edward, and wondered how he could have such a strong reaction to the news. They were just friends right? Unless….Nah!

Over the next few weeks and months I watched over my little brother closely. He didn't seem the same anymore. He was quiet and only spoke if was spoken to and only answered in as few words as he could manage. It was as if the light had gone out of him. He had not once uttered Bella's name. Not since that day.

Four months after Bella left, Edward came back with a vengeance, only he wasn't really Edward anymore. He was angry at everything and everyone. The catalyst event was when he turned up at the spring formal with Tanya on his arm. Alice had come back to town for the formal as she had promised to go with Jasper and she refused to speak to Edward at the dance. She had told Rose, Jazz and me what exactly had happened to make Bella leave. What actually had happened the day she left town. Needless to say we were all extremely disgusted, so when Edward walked in with Tanya on his arm, Rose thought it prudent to tell him exactly she though of him. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Two days after the prom it all came to head between Alice and Edward. We were at lunch and in the cafeteria when Edward sauntered in with Tanya, both had the 'Just Fucked' hair thing going on and that infuriated Alice to no end. She stormed up to Tanya and laid into her

"You bitch! How dare you! Are you so hard up for sex that you would take it from anyone, even after they turned you down?" Alice screamed so loud that the entire lunchroom was quiet

"Alice, step off" Edward was relatively quiet compared to Alice

"No Edward, I won't. You have no idea what she has done" Alice was poking a finger in Edward's chest

"What are you talking about, Alice?"

"Bella. Bella is what I am talking about" I heard Edward suck in a breath and flinch at the sound of her name and I held my own, waiting to see what would happen next

"What about Her, Alice?" He still refused to say her name

And so Alice launched into a full explanation of why Bella left. All that happened that day. When she had finished there was a long beat of silence and then…

"WHAT?" Edward roared, spinning round to face Tanya who, much to my delight at this point was cowering

"Edward, I can explain…I...I thought" Tanya stuttered as Edward advanced on her menacingly

"Explain then, Tanya. Explain to me how you could say those words to her and not feel shame? Explain to me your reasoning behind your treatment of my best friend?" Edwards tone was so scathing that even Alice took a step back. I was shocked to say the least. This was not my brother. Edward had always been the calm, collected one of the two of us, so this was...new.

"I...Uh...I..." Tanya continued to stutter

"Spit it out Tanya! I can't _wait_ to hear your most brilliant reasoning" Edward snarled at her. I saw her eyes widen even further in fear

"I thought she was trying to get in your pants! That she was trying to take you away from me!" Tanya blurted out in one breath. Edward froze. I could see his hands shaking

"What, pray tell, gave you the idea that you had any claim over me in the first place, Tanya?" Edward's voice was low now, but it somehow sounded all the more threatening. At this point, I was beginning to fear for the girl's life so I stepped in and put my hand on Edward's shoulder

"Ed, you need to calm the fuck down" Edward merely shrugged his shoulder away from my hand

"Tanya, I am going to say this once and once only, so you had better listen well. I am not now, nor will I _ever_ be yours to flaunt, fawn over or even to protect. If you had any hope of being with me in any way, the day you spoke to her was the day you lost it. Stay the hell away from me, you got it?" With that I watched in awe and pride as my brother whirled and stalked out of the lunch room.

I caught up with Edward in the parking lot. He was sat in his car staring straight ahead, not moving, and not even fucking blinking. I walked slowly to the passenger side and slid in. Edward did not even acknowledge my presence. I sat there for what felt like hours and then finally Edward stirred, turning his head in my direction, but his eyes still not meeting mine

"She left me, Em. She left because of what Tanya said. It's all my fault" I felt my heart clench at the sadness and emptiness in his voice and eyes

"I'm sorry, bro. I don't know what to say to make it better"

"Tell me where she is, that's the only thing that will make it better" I shook my head. Alice had made me promise not to tell Edward where Bella was. Bella had made Alice ask Rose and I to keep her whereabouts a secret. She didn't want to see Edward. _How do I tell my little brother that?_ I wondered. How to tell my little brother that Bella left because she was heartbroken and didn't want Edward to come after her? I couldn't. That would break his heart. The douche may not realise it yet, but I knew the reason for his reactions. My little brother was in love with Bella. I couldn't tell him, so I did the only thing I could

"I don't know where she is, Edward. She refused to tell anyone, even Alice" I lied. I watched his shoulders slump and nearly catapulted and told him the truth. I opened my mouth to say the truth, but no sound would come out. As much as I loved my brother, I loved Bella too. She had always been like my baby sister and I was fiercely protective of her. Edward had not realised that he loved Bella and until he did, I couldn't say anything. I couldn't hurt either of them that way.

So I shut my mouth and I kept it shut


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six **

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

I sat watching Edward interact with Rose, Emmett and Alice. I studied him while he chatted away. He had grown into a very handsome man. Not that he wasn't gorgeous before, he was. Even through puberty when most boys just looked awkward, he had still looked good. No, now, he was all man. His hair was still the same, messy disarray, his green eyes deep and as soulful as ever, though the usual spark wasn't there. They seemed dull somehow. But now...now he had slight stubble dusting his beautifully angular jaw line and his shirt showed promise of muscles underneath. God, how I still loved him. I had tried very hard over the years to forget him. Damn I had tried hard. I had dated. Okay not a lot, but I had and none of the men I had been with had ever measured up. I had always measured them to Edward and that had always frustrated me. I really tried not to, but somehow I always did.

"Izzy-Bella! Hello! Are you still with us?" Alice was waving one hand in front of my face. I blushed

"Uh...Sorry, I spaced for a minute" I mumbled

"What do you think? Club night? Friday night?" Alice asked, filling me in on the conversation that had been happening around me

"Yeah, sure" I agreed. I knew there was no way I would get out of it anyway. Alice knew how to get around my defences and used that talent quite often

"Great! So, we'll see you guys on Friday at 8pm outside Fickle?" Alice asked, looking at Edward and Emmett. And then it hit me, I had just agreed to go out Friday night with the one person I was hoping to avoid for the rest of my life!

"You're coming too?" I asked stupidly, looking at Emmett. I couldn't look at Edward. That hurt too much

"Yeah, Baby Girl. We need a good night out and what's better than old friends catching up?" I winced. I couldn't help it

"Em, I think I may give it a miss" Edward said quietly as he kept his beautiful eyes fixed on the table. My head snapped up as I looked at him. I had heard the regret and sadness in his voice. He was willing to bow out. For me. I felt my heart clench at his tone. I hated that tone. He was hurt and I was the one to hurt him. I never wanted that. He hurt, I hurt. I felt the pain lash through me

"What? No, Ed! You need this!" Em boomed

"Oh C'mon, Edward! It'll be no fun otherwise!" Alice whined. Edward shook his head, still looking at the table

"No, you guys. Em, you know I can't do this again" Edward looked up at Emmett then and I saw understanding flash across Emmett's face. _What the hell is that about?_ I wondered. Emmett nodded and then turned to me, pointing his finger

"You, my girl, need to learn that you are not the only one who is hurt!" With that Emmett rose and strode out of the restaurant. I sat there stunned_. What the hell? What had just happened?_ I had never seen Emmett look that fierce before. I glanced at Edward and saw that he was staring after his brother with the most unfathomable expression on his face. He turned slowly to face me as he felt my eyes on him

"I'm sorry" he whispered and then rose and followed his brother. I got the distinct feeling that he wasn't just apologising for Emmett's outburst. I felt tears prickle my eyelids, but I squashed them back. I turned back to find Rose and Alice staring at me

"What?" I asked, Alice shook her head, but Rose spoke

"You, my friend, are a fucking idiot!"

"Jeez, Rose, don't hold back will you?"

"Bella...Izzy...Whatever the fuck you want to be called, that boy was trying to make amends for a _fucking_ crime he didn't even _fucking_ commit! All he wants is you back! I mean for fuck's sake, he named a _fucking_ _restaurant_ after you, just because he missed you! He loves you and you love him. _What the fuck_!" I stared at Rose open mouthed. I mean, I knew she had a temper, but she had never once lost it at me and I had to admit, it was fucking scary!

"Rose, I didn't mean-"

"You did mean it, Bells, that's what so fucking annoying! Edward never forgot you, that much is clear, just ask Alice" Rose said in a much lower tone. I looked back over at Alice, who nodded

"Jazz always said that. Edward never once spoke of you, never uttered your name out loud, but after you left LA, he was never the same again. I saw it with my own eyes when I went back, but Jazz was always the one that Edward spent the most time with and he saw and heard a lot more than me and trust me none of it was pretty" I dropped my eyes to my hands and my engagement ring caught my eyes. The way these two were talking, anyone would think that Edward felt the same for me as I did for him. My head snapped up as that thought crossed my mind

"Rose, Ali, what are you two trying to say exactly?" my eyes narrowed

"He loves you, Bells. He just doesn't know it yet" I snorted and Alice raised one delicate eyebrow at me

"Loves me? Of course he does. As. A. Friend. Nothing more, nothing less" I shrugged. I know I looked blasé about it, but honestly, inside my heart clenched and a little more of me died. Each year that had gone by meant another part of me dying. In eight years I had become a shell. I no longer had feelings, I _couldn't_ feel. If I did then I became vunerable and I wasn't having that again. I had been that once, there was no way in hell I was going to be that again. Ever.

Alice sighed and Rose huffed but said nothing more. I felt a little guilty that Edward had bowed out because of me so I told them that they should get him to come too. After all, he was my friend and I had missed his friendship too. I was engaged now so nothing more could happen between us besides friendship.

**EPOV – **_**Present Day**_

For the second time in my life, I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. I mean, seriously, how many times in one lifetime can someone break your heart? My best friend didn't want me. She hadn't said it in so many words, but I had felt it and so I told Em that I would give Fickle a miss. I would never do anything to make Bella feel uncomfortable and if my being there meant she didn't have a good time, then I just wouldn't be there.

As the cab pulled up outside my apartment building, my cell rang. I pulled it out and looked at the display. Unknown number. I debated letting it go to voicemail and thought, maybe it's one of our clients so I answered it

"Edward Cullen"

"Edward? It's Alice" Well now, there's a surprise

"Hello Alice. How did you get my number away from Jazz?" I knew she would have peeked in his phone; quite frankly, I was surprised that it took her two years to do so. Alice had never been known for her patience.

"I stole it, of course!" Alice laughed; I couldn't help but chuckle along with her

"What's up, Ali?" There was a long pause and I was beginning to think we had gotten cut off. I was just about to pull the phone away from my ear to check it when she spoke again

"How are you, Edward? And I mean, really, truthfully, honestly?" I had expected the question, but what I hadn't expected was the urge to tell her the God's honest truth

"I'm not sure, Ali. How should I be?" Alice sighed. I know she thought I was being difficult and not giving a straight answer, but I truly wasn't

"Edward, she wants you to come on Friday night" I was shocked

"C'mon, Ali, you saw the look on her face when you mentioned it. I don't think she does and I don't want to do anything to hurt her"

"Edward, trust me. She said so. That's why I'm calling, she asked me to tell you" Now I felt slightly pissed, why the hell couldn't she tell me herself? Where we in grade school? Passing notes? Relaying messages through Chinese whispers?

"Alice, if she really wanted me to come, she can ask me herself. I didn't realise that we were still in school and where required to pass notes around" I said through gritted teeth. I was trying really hard to choke back the anger bubbling up inside me

"She won't do that, Edward. She can't" Alice's voice was lowered and full of pain

"Ali, what do you mean 'she can't'? What is it that you aren't telling me? Is she ok?" now I was concerned and I could feel the beginnings of a headache. It had been eight years since I had felt so many emotions in one go. My mind and body were no longer used to it. In all the time that Bella had been out of my life, I had taught myself to simply be numb. After those first few months without her, it had felt good to just not feel anymore.

"No, Edward, she is not ok. She had not been ok for eight years, but she hides it well. Sometimes, even I believe her when she says that she is ok, she's gotten that good at lying. She's broken and I only know of one person who can fix her" My breath hitched. I knew what Alice was saying, that person was me.

"Alice, tell me what I can do? I'll do anything. She's my friend, my best friend. I'll do anything. Just tell me!" I pleaded. Alice exhaled loudly

"You both are so dense and so stubborn! It took me forever to get her to admit the truth to herself, don't tell me I have to do it with you too? Arrggh!" I was taken aback by Alice's outburst and had no idea as to what she was talking about. I decided to encourage her tirade a little. Maybe I'd get some answers that way

"In what way exactly, Ali?"

"Edward, do you have a girlfriend?" I was, once again, surprised. Not the direction I was expecting for this conversation

"No, Ali. I don't have a girlfriend and I don't intend to have one, so no fix ups, no blind dates. I don't date. EVER. Understood" Alice giggled

"That's not why I'm asking, Dumbass!" I laughed

"Why then?"

"Have you had any serious relationships in the last eight years, Edward?" I was confused. What did this have to do with Bella?

"One. About four years ago. I met Kate in University and we dated for a couple of months, but we never got serious, other than that, just a few casual dates. Why?"

"Do you know Bella is engaged?" I nodded, yes I knew, I had seen the ring this morning

"Yes, but not who to"

"Jake. Jacob Black from back home"

"Oh" what else could I say? It hurt to hear the words, but I had no idea why

"How does that make you feel?"

"Hurt. She's my friend, why didn't she tell me?"

"Is that the only reason you're hurt?" Jesus, this was beginning to feel like a session with a shrink! What more could I say? How much plainer could I make it. Bella had hurt me! Eight years ago, she had shattered my heart and she had done it again today. Well, as long as she was willing to listen, I might as well let it all out

"No, Ali. I'm hurt because she gave up on our friendship. I'm hurt that she left me eight years ago without even saying goodbye, I'm hurt that she thought Tanya was more important to me than she was or even is, I'm hurt that she didn't understand how much I needed her then and how much I have always needed her, I'm hurt that she didn't understand my feelings for her at all!" I paused _What. The. Hell?_ _My Feelings? What feelings?_

"Aha! I knew it!"

"Knew what, Ali" I said wearily. My slight headache was now a full blown one and I just wanted to take some painkillers and go lay down. This conversation was bringing up emotions in me that I had worked hard over the last eight years to bury. I wasn't ready to relive them yet, if ever. I was hurt and angry that Bella had not trusted in me enough to wait for an explanation and I was sad because I had lost the best friendship I had ever had. There was another feeling that I couldn't put my finger on, but it pulsed deeply in my heart and had done for years now

"You love her"

_Say what now? Did she just say what I think she said?_

"I…Um…Say what?" I stuttered

"Edward, you fool! You are in love with Bella!" _Not_ what I was expecting. Was I? You'd think that would be something I would be aware of, right? I thought back to the feelings that coursed through me when I saw her for the first time in eight years at the courthouse and then the urges I had to kiss her at the restaurant. Was that love? I had missed her. A lot. When she had left LA, I had felt like a piece of me had gone missing. Nothing seemed right anymore. I remembered the haze of pain in those first months after she left and then I remembered the pure joy when I saw her this morning. It had felt like…like everything was right again. It had felt like…I was finally home, where I belonged.

_Holy Shit! I _was_ in love with my best friend!_

I stifled the groan that wanted to burst from my chest

"Edward? Are you there? Are you ok?" Alice asked in a concerned tone

"Yes, Ali. I'm here" I whispered, my voice thick with emotion

"You seriously had no idea, did you?"

"No, Ali, I didn't. We have always been close and I have always cared for her. If I hadn't felt what I did today when I saw her, I would have argued with you and told you that you were wrong" I admitted

"But I'm not, am I?" I shook my head

"No Ali, you're not" I sighed. No, she wasn't wrong. The only question I had now was, What about Bella? How did she feel?

"She loves you too, you know" I could barely hear Alice; her voice had gone so quiet. I snorted

"Yeah, right! If she loved me, she would not have left me and stayed away for eight years, Alice. _Eight fucking years!_ No phone call, no email, not even a goodbye note with an explanation! That is not love!" I stormed. I was pissed again all of a sudden. How could she have been so selfish? If you loved someone, you did not cause them pain in the way she had! All because of Tanya Fucking Denali! One mistake. Was that all it took to break her faith in me? In our relationship?

I didn't want to discuss this with Alice anymore. I wanted to confront Bella

"Alice, Where is she? I have to talk to her!" I was furious. I could feel all the pent up rage bubbling inside me, fighting to release

"No, Edward. You cannot talk to her in the mood you are in. I understand that you are upset-"

'Upset? Upset? I'll give you upset, Mary Alice Brandon. I Am Fucking Pissed! _Upset_ does not even begin to cover it!" I raged at her

'Edward Anthony Masen-Cullen! Do _not _shout at me! Do _not_ shout at Bella! She has had enough to deal with without you going off on one at her! She has had her heart broken too you know!"

And now I was livid. She had enough to deal with? She had her heart broken? What about me? I had paid the highest price I could imagine for a crime I hadn't even committed! Contrary to what Tanya had told Bella, I had not slept with her until well after Bella had left. It took me months to wake up from the gut wrenching pain and boy was I pissed when I woke! At that point I slept with Tanya. If I was going to be accused for something, it may as well be for something I had actually done! But what I couldn't understand was; Bella left of her own free will, she made the choice to walk out on me, on us, so why was she so heart broken! She chose this, not me.

"I don't fucking care! She. Left. Me! _I_ didn't go anywhere! I waited for her to come back for years before I finally grew up and realised that she _wasn't _coming back! _She _walked out on the best friendship either of us ever had! _She_ walked out on _me_! How can I trust her after this! Not a word in eight _god dammed years_! I could have been fucking _DEAD_ for all she cared! Hell, I _have_ been dead! I _died _the day she left and I still _am_ dead! _She Fucking Killed Me_, Alice!" I roared, my last bit of control finally snapping. I had held all this in for eight years and just hearing Alice tell me that Bella had been heart broken simply served to snap my sanity. There was a long moment of silence on the line and then I heard Jasper come on the line and I could hear Alice sobbing in the background

"Ed, what's going on? Are you ok?" Hearing Alice cry in the background brought me down from my rage slightly. Well, don't I just feel great now? I had made Alice cry

"Hey, Jazz. Yeah, I'm ok. Listen; tell Alice I said I'm sorry, yeah? She didn't need to hear that from me. It's my problem, not hers" I was still trying to calm the surge of emotions running through me, making my breathing ragged

"That's where you're wrong, Ed. You are our friend too and what happens to you is our problem too. I hear you saw Bella today?" I grunted in response

"Are you ok?" Jasper asked again quietly. I considered his question for a moment before answering. I could lie and say yes, but Jazz had been there when I was at my worst. He knew what it took for me to be human again, if I even was anymore. I wasn't so sure.

"No, Jazz. I don't think I am" I answered honestly. I heard him sigh deeply before he spoke

'I'm sorry, man. I know you are still hurting over this, but you need to let the anger go. It's not going to help solve anything"

'I know, Jazz, but I can't help it. I don't know if I can get past it. At least not until I have it out with her" I didn't say her name. I couldn't. It had taken me years to say it in my mind alone but today just brought up all the old pain and anger. After Bella had left, I stopped speaking of her. The day Emmett told me she had left, that was the last day I had uttered her name aloud. That's not to say I hadn't thought it. I had. Constantly. I just couldn't say it. Every time I did, I had felt the ripping pain of loss and I just couldn't take that shit.

"So go talk to her" Jazz responded. I snorted

"How, Jazz? I don't know where she lives"

"You know where she works, right?" I did, but this wasn't a conversation for her workplace.

"Be serious, Jazz. Do you really think I can talk to her about this at her work?" I said, slightly incredulous that he had even suggested it

"Hmm…You're right. In that case, why don't you come Friday night? I think you need to have a conversation in a neutral, public place" I took a moment to consider this. What harm could it do? If nothing else, I would see Bella again. I did really want to see her again. Despite all my anger and hurt, I still wanted to see her again.

"Ok, fine. I'll meet you at the club." We chatted for a few more minutes and then I finally admitted to my headache and hung up. I jumped in the shower to relieve some of the tension in my shoulders and neck, allowing the power shower to do it's magic for a good ten minutes before getting out and preparing for a nap.

As I drifted, waiting for sleep to find me, I though back over the day and my conversation with Alice. I was still reeling inside from the revelations and the rage, which had now dissipated to a slow burn. I thought about how to approach Bella and the conversation I knew would take place on Friday. What would be the outcome? She was engaged to another man, but in love with another. She was in love with me. How could she do this? She had not only fucked her own life, but mine and poor Jacob Black's too. Her one decision had created a shockwave of pain and I could only see it getting bigger before it finally abated.

I knew no matter what happened on Friday, I would fight for her as hard as I could. I had finally found her again and there was no way in hell I would allow her to disappear again.

Never Again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**APOV – **_**Present Day**_

My heart hurt. My head hurt, everything hurt. Bella was in pain, Edward was in pain and because they are my friends and I loved them dearly, I was in pain. Why couldn't their reunion be easy? Like Emmett and Roselie? So much anger, so much hurt. I had no idea how they would get past it.

The way Edward sounded on the phone told me a lot about how he had dealt with Bella's absence in his life. He was not in a good place in regards to his feelings for her and that scared me. I knew he loved her, but the rage he felt for her was staggering.

As I sobbed into Jasper's chest after he hung up, I couldn't stop the deluge of thoughts that ran rampant in my head. The laughing and good times in school, the pain on Bella's face the day we left LA, the anger and hurt in Edward's eyes the day I finally told him about Tanya's treatment of Bella, the way he shut down after that, the forced smiles Bella put on her face all through college and University and even now, the uncertainty in her eyes on the day of her engagement, the joy in Edwards eyes at the restaurant when he saw us walk in, the sincerity in his words when he admitted his reasons for the name of their restaurant. Last and not least, the apparent love in his eyes when he looked at her each and every time and she at him.

_Could they get past this?_ I hoped so; with all my heart I really hoped so.

Maybe with a little help from their friends?

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

Oh for the love of all that is holy! Could this day get any worse? First this morning at court, I had been so distracted after seeing Edward that I had lost the case. Not that I had expected to win anyway, but it still bugged me that I lost. Then there was lunch. The shock had worn off, but the pain was still there. It hurt even more to see the pain in Edward's eyes. And to top it all off, when I got back to the office, I found I had a new client waiting for me, who, during our meeting decided to hit on me. Twice! Ugh! No this day could not get any worse.

I hope.

At 4.30pm, I found that my hope was in vain. This shit day, got even shittier and it was in large thanks to the phone call from a certain annoying pixie.

I had just left the office and was on my way home when my phone rang. I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily when I read the display

"Hi Ali" I said in a low voice

'Isabella Marie Swan, get your ass to my place right now!" Alice practically screamed down the phone at me. She sounded very upset. She must have been, she used my full name and she only did that when she was truly, mind-blowingly, scarily mad at me

'Calm down, Ali. I'll be there, but do you want to tell me the reason behind pulling out my full name?" I couldn't help it, I was slightly amused and the smile was clearly visible in my voice

'No, Isabella, I will NOT calm down. This has gone on long enough and it needs to stop. Right. Now. I will not allow you to continue to hurt the people I love, no matter how justified you think you are!" I froze in shock. Alice had never spoken to me in this way before. What could have set her off so badly? What was different about this time that she felt she had to use such force with me?

And then it hit me. Edward.

"Ok, Ali, I'm outside your apartment building now. Can you let me in?" Somehow, whilst still on the phone with Alice, I had made it to their apartment just a few blocks over from my own. I heard the door buzz and I pushed my way in and up the stairs.

Alice was standing with the door open when I reached their floor, tapping her foot impatiently. I smiled tentatively at her, but she didn't smile back. She merely gestured to the couch, indicating that I should take a seat, which I did. I watched in fascination as Alice paced in front of me. Wow, she looked really wound up. I inhaled deeply and exhaled in a loud puff

"Ok, Ali. Spill. What's got you so riled up?" Alice had stopped pacing and was now facing the window overlooking the stunning view of the NYC skyline. I heard her take a deep breath then let it out slowly before she spoke, still not looking at me

"There are things you need to understand. Things which affect a lot of people's lives. Things which could make or break those lives and you need to make your decision based on your heart _and _head and not just one or the other" I was totally at a loss as to what she was talking about, so I simply sat and waited for her to continue

"Bella-'

'Izzy, Ali, Izzy" I had lost count on how many times I had had to correct her on my name in the last few years. Alice huffed, but acquiesced

'Fine. Izzy, you have hurt a lot of people through your decisions and I have never said anything. I have always supported you and stood by you. But now…now it's time for me to step back and tell you the truth. Edward-" I shot up from my spot on the sofa, my hand held out, palm up in a motion to stop her

"No, Ali. Please, I can't" Alice whirled and glared at me then. The force of her stare stunned me speechless. Alice had never looked at me like that

'Isabella Marie, you _will_ sit down and you _will_ listen to what I have to say, whether you like it or not. I have _a lot_ to say after eight years of silence and it will take a while, so sit the hell down and get comfortable, because you _are_ going to hear this!" I could do nothing but sink back down on the sofa, mouth agape. To say I was shocked would have been an understatement. Alice waited a beat to ensure I was indeed paying attention then continued.

**APOV – **_**Present Day**_

I watched as Bella sank back down on the sofa and wondered how to tell her about the amount of anger Edward harboured against her. I took another deep cleansing breath and tried to explain it the best I could.

'Bella, when you left LA, you left a lot of things unfinished. I see that most clearly now. After I went back from here for prom, Edward had changed. He...he wasn't the same anymore. He was angry all of the time, quiet to a point where he withdrew from even Em. Edward started dating Tanya after you left, not before, but once I told him what she had done..." I trailed off, remembering the scene in the lunch room that day. The look of pure unadulterated fury on Edward's face. The look of fear on Tanya's. It was priceless.

"What? You told him! Ali! I told you not to say anything!" I snapped back to present time and looked at Bella. She looked upset but I was more so than her

"Are you freaking kidding me right now?" I shrieked, causing Bella to flinch "Yes, you told me not to say anything, but _you_ were not there to stop me! _You _were not there to see that skank rub herself all over Edward and look smug about it! _You_ were not there to see the pain in his eyes..." I said the last part in a softer tone and watched as those words sunk into her mind. I sighed deeply and sat down next to her and took her hand in mine

"Sweetie, you need to talk to him. There are a lot of things that need to be said on both sides" Bella raised her tear filled eyes to meet my own tear filled ones

"I know" Bella whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears

"Oh Honey, You know we only want what's best for you. I didn't mean to shout at you, but really you left me no choice. It was getting out of hand. No. It has gotten out of hand! This should have been resolved eight years ago" I wrapped my arms around her and she leaned into me as her shoulders shook with her silent tears. We sat for a long time. I don't know how long, but we hadn't moved when I heard Jasper's key in the door, returning from his errands. He had kindly left me to speak to Bella alone. He knew what I was going to say, but he also knew that this was something I needed to do alone. Now for the last point I wanted to make. I took a deep breath

"Honey, there is one other thing I need to talk to you about" Bella looked at me, puzzled, but remained silent so I continued "This thing with insisting on being called Izzy…Honey, don't take this the wrong way, but, how long can you run?" Bella pulled away and sat back with her hands folded in her lap. She still didn't say anything so I ploughed on

"I mean I get why you decided to change it, but what I don't get is why you insist on us calling you it? The people who have known you for years find it difficult to switch from calling you Bella. And quite frankly, I prefer Bella. It's much more…more you. I mean, if you real-"

"Ali..Ali! Stop! I get it. It's fine. You can call me Bella. You are right, as usual. Making you all call me Izzy, it was just one more way for me to run from my past and I'm done. No more running" She stated with a determined look on her face. I squealed and threw my arms around her. We hugged for a moment until we heard someone clear their throat. We both turned towards the sound and froze.

Jazz was not alone. _Oh Shit_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. It was too soon. I wasn't ready for this yet. All my determination from seconds before evaporated as I sat frozen, staring at the person standing with Jazz in the doorway.

"Sorry ladies. I didn't realize that the pow-wow was still going on" Jazz broke the silence. He walked over to wrap his arms around Alice. I watched as he bent and brushed his lips over hers. The moment was very sweet and loving. It made me feel empty. I looked up to see Edward turn and walk towards the kitchen.

_Should I follow him?_

_Yes! You need to talk to him_

_What if I can't? What if he doesn't want to talk to me? What am I going to say to him?_

_That's a lot of 'What ifs'. Why don't you just stop thinking about it, grow a pair and go after him?_

_But-_

_No 'Buts' Go After Him!_

And so I went. It was time.

**EPOV – **_**Present Day**_

Fuck my life.

When Jazz had turned up at my apartment an hour ago, I had still not worked through some of my anger. I had just woken from my nap feeling slightly better. Ok not better, but at least the headache was gone.

So, anyway, Jazz turned up on my doorstep mumbling something about 'women' and 'interventions'. I didn't understand any of the shit coming out of his mouth, but I knew better than to ask for an explanation so I let it be.

Now here I stood an hour later in Jazz's kitchen, having just walked into his place to find Bella and Alice having a heart to heart. I felt my heart clench at the red-rimmed eyes and tear tracks on Bella's face. It was all I could do not to go to her and wrap her in my arms and comfort her. I so badly wanted to, I felt the ache in my arms from the want, but the anger inside me was still simmering and was the reason I simply stood there and watched them pull apart at the sound of Jazz clearing his throat.

I watched as Jazz walked over to Alice and take her in his arms and kiss her. It was such a tender moment and I couldn't watch it happen so I turned and stalked off to the kitchen. I was standing with my back to the door, over the breakfast island my hands palm down, hunched over to ward off the pain lashing at my insides when I felt that all too familiar electric current at my back. Bella.

"Hi" She whispered. I closed my eyes as her voice washed over me

"Hey" I answered. I knew we had to talk, but I was still too angry and I knew I didn't want to do it with that running through my veins.

"Can we talk?" I sighed. It seemed that Bella was not going to give me the chance to calm down enough to have a rational conversation. I was still standing with my back to her. I couldn't bring my self to turn around and face her. I shrugged

"Sure" I heard her take a deep shaky breath and still I didn't turn to face her

"Edward, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, but I need you to understand that I-" she paused, taking another breath and continued "I wasn't in a good place back then and after what happened at Tanya's there was no way I could stay and watch you with her. It was too hard" I slowly turned to face her. I could feel the anger boil. This was her explanation? After eight years of no contact, no phone call, no email, no nothing, _this_ was her apology?

I still didn't speak. I simply stared at her. I saw her take a step back from me and I knew that it was in recoil to the pain and rage on my face. I knew it was scaring her, but at that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. I was too angry.

"Edward? Please, talk to me. Please say something. I know you are angry, but please, we need to talk about this. Please-" I jerked my hand up, palm up to signal her to stop

"Isabella, I don't give two flying fucks what you think right now. Whether we need to talk or not is no longer your decision to make. You have made plenty of decisions about my life for me and no more" I paused to take a few calming breaths, as my therapist had taught me. Yes, I went to a therapist over this shit

"I have a lot to say to you, but now is not the time. When the time comes, I _will_ come to you and trust me, there will be _plenty_ of talking involved. I am not that boy anymore, which comes running every time you snap your pretty little fingers and we _will_ do this _my_ way this time, when _I_ am ready, not when it suits you. Until then, we will continue as if we had not bumped into each other on those courthouse steps this morning. I will see you Friday night at Fickle, because my friends have also invited me and it's high time I actually did have some fun!" At that I spun and stalked out of the kitchen. I had to get away. I needed to move away from the situation or it could turn out a hell of a lot different to how I really wanted it to.

"Jazz, I'm gonna go to the office. I need to get the Spencer file sorted before the meeting next week. I'll see you later" I called into the family room as I passed

"Wait! I'll come with you. I need to pick up the Goodman file for the meeting with the lawyers tomorrow" Jazz strolled out of the family room, searching my face carefully. I nodded and continued to walk to through the front door and into my car. I waited as Jazz said bye to Alice. I could see them whispering at the door, his head leaned into hers. I felt the pain lash at me again as I watched the obvious love and affection before me. I wanted that. I wanted it with Bella and there was no way that I could see for me to have it.

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

I stood frozen in the kitchen after Edward left. His harsh words swirled around in my head. He was right. He was not the same boy I had known eight years ago. No, now…now he was all man. Unbelievably beautiful, confident, sexy, angry man. And I was the reason for his anger. That thought alone hurt more than anything he had said. His pain cut me deep. He hurt, I hurt. It wasn't until Alice's tiny arms wrapped around my middle did I move or realise that I had tears streaming down my face

"I'm sorry, Bella" Alice whispered "I should have warned you that he was angry. I just never thought that he would-" I cut her off

"No Ali, He was right. I have made all the decisions. It's his turn now" I said morosely. I knew it to be true, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt any less. I gazed into Alice's eyes and suddenly it hit me. I hadn't even thought about Jake all day! I hadn't even spoken to him since the engagement party! What kind of fiancé was I? What did that say about my relationship with Jake? This was not good. I had a lot to think about now. There were many feelings coursing through me at the moment and I knew that unless I took a timeout I would eventually break.

I knew I needed to speak to Jacob, but the thing was, I didn't know what I wanted to say to him. The only thing I knew was that I did not love him and I was questioning my decision to marry him. Hell, I had been questioning it since he asked me. Why did I accept his proposal again? Oh right… because I am stupid and didn't want to end up alone and I didn't know Edward was here, so close and I also didn't know how he felt about me…

God, I was giving myself a headache from thinking so hard!

I sighed and told Alice I would call her later before I left to go wallow in my apartment.

I left Alice's apartment and made my way back to my own slowly. So many thoughts and feelings were still running rampant in my head; I couldn't sort through them yet. I knew what I wanted to do, but I wasn't so sure if that was what I should do.

The next day I woke early, not having slept more than a couple of hours. I had a breakfast meeting so I rushed around to get ready. I was nowhere near making a decision on my engagement, though the thoughts were still rolling around in my head. I needed to make a decision soon or I felt I may go insane from the thoughts and feelings going through me. Jake was and is a very good friend, my best friend, but the love I had for him was nowhere near the love I had for Edward. Whether anything happened between Edward and I was a moot point. I could not, no, I would not be one of those women who married for convenience and not love. It wasn't fair on any of us.

I arrived at the café where I was meeting my possible new client, Kate Bryant, and found that she was already there. I walked to the table as she looked up

"Good Morning, Ms Bryant, I am Isabella Swan" I held out my hand which she took and gave it a light shake

"Morning, Ms Swan. Please call me Kate" she smiled at me as I took the seat opposite her

"Kate it is then and please, call me Izzy" I gave my new name as I always did. The only decision I seemed to have made was to keep my 'Izzy' personality in my professional life. It was an easy decision to make. I sighed inwardly. Now if all my personal decision were easy to make!

"So, Kate, tell me why you require my services?" I asked

"My sister and I have been estranged for many years and our grandparents just passed on and left their estate to me solely. My sister is contesting the will so I need a lawyer to fight against her" Kate said in one breath, tears forming in her eyes. I reached out and placed my hand on hers

"I'm sorry to hear about your grandparents and I will be happy to represent you in this case, Kate" I paused, thinking about the possible scenarios that may come up in court. We sat for about half an hour discussing the case and exchanging contact information and sipping on our coffees, just then I felt the familiar electricity at my back and then I heard his soft velvety voice behind me

"Kate?" both Kate and turned to the voice and my breath caught in my throat

"Edward? How are you?" Kate got up and embraced Edward. I felt jealousy course through me. Edward hugged Kate back, but his eyes were on me, questioning.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Edward, this is my lawyer, Izzy Swan, Izzy this is a very old friend of mine, Edward Cullen" Kate waved her hand between us, I rose slowly and stepped in front of Edward, not sure if he wanted to make it known that we already knew each other or not. I saw many emotions running through his eyes for a moment before they turned expressionless.

"Bella." He said simply, nodding at me, his face set in stone, showing no emotion whatsoever

"Hi Edward" I said softly, not wanting to bring out his anger from yesterday. Kate was looking between us, confused and then I saw realization dawn on her face

"Oh my God! You're his Bella! Of course, why didn't I see it before! I mean you've changed so much from the photo, but still! The hair and the eyes! No wonder I thought you looked familiar when you came in!" I turned to Kate, now confused.

_Photo? What photo? And did she just say 'His Bella'?_

Before I could ask, Edward interrupted

"Kate, may I speak with you privately for a moment, please?" Kate nodded and followed him to the counter. I sat back down at the table and watched as they spoke quietly, Kate was gesturing wildly and Edward was shaking his head. Whatever was being said between them was not making him happy. I could see his cool demeanour slowly melting in the face of his anger. Suddenly I heard him shout

"NO KATE, SHE DID THIS TO US, NOT ME! I AM NOT READY TO FORGIVE HER JUST YET! WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?" I would have doubted who he was shouting about if it wasn't for the fact that as he said it he gestured towards me. The café had gone quiet, all eyes bouncing back and forth between Edward, Kate and me. I rose slowly and gathered my things, getting ready to leave

"Izzy-" I turned to find Kate looking at me with sadness in her eyes. I could feel the tears forming in mine

"Kate, I will set up a meeting and email you the details for you to come into my office and sign the papers. I must go now. I have a 10am in the office. Call me if you have any questions before then. It was nice to meet you" I rushed through my words, trying to hold in the tears. Kate nodded and looked over her shoulder once at where Edward was standing by the counter breathing heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose before she enveloped me in her arms and whispered in my ear

"He will forgive you. He loves you, even if he won't admit it yet. He always has" she released me. I nodded in acknowledgement of her words, not quite believing them, and then I turned and fled the café before my tears could betray me.

By the time I reached my office I had calmed somewhat. I walked into the foyer and found Jaz sitting on the leather couches, obviously waiting for someone. He looked up and smiled brightly as I approached. He must have seen something in my face because his expression turned to concern

"Bella? What's wrong, darlin'?" his soft Texan accent still evident, even after all these years

"Nothing, Jazzy. I just had an emotional meeting is all" I said, smiling sadly. I saw understanding wash over his features

"What happened?" he asked softly

"I had a meeting with a new client, Kate Bryant and Edward turned up. Turns out he knew my client"

"Kate? Tanya's sister?" Jasper asked surprise colouring his tone. I looked up at him shocked

"She-she's Tanya's sister?" I whispered, Jaz nodded

"You didn't know?" I shook my head no

"Yeah, they haven't spoken in years. Kate moved away when we were in freshman year to live with her Grandparents as she and Tanya didn't get on. She changed her last name to her mother's maiden name to cut ties from her, I hear" I nodded, but I was still confused

"But how does she know Edward?" I asked, still feeling a little jealous. Huh, guess I was that type of girl, but only with Edward. I had to wonder what that meant for my relationship with Jake. Jazz looked at me for a long moment as if deciding on what to tell me, or how much to tell me. I sighed

"Just tell me, Jaz" Jasper nodded

"Well, we knew Kate in school, but we met up with her again when Edward and I went to Dartmouth. Edward and Kate dated for about four months, but they broke up when they realised that they loved each other, but weren't in love. Unfortunately, Tanya found out about them and went all gladiator on Kate. Kate nearly died. Edward was so mad! I have never seen him so angry; I thought he would actually kill Tanya, he was that mad, the only other time I saw him that angry was in high school when... Well anyway, Tanya got reported and kicked out of school and we didn't hear from her again until recently" my head was reeling from all the information I had just received. I felt so much hate towards Tanya at that moment. I liked Kate, she seemed like a good a person and Tanya just seemed to be evil. I had left eight years ago because of her and now she was back in my life. I would have to face her in court. I felt sick at the thought. I felt Jaz shake me gently

"Bella? Bella! Are you ok?" concern dripping through every word. I nodded

"I'm fine. I gotta get going, Jaz. I have another meeting in…" I looked at my watch, which read 9.50am "Shit! In ten minutes! I'll see you later, ok?" I turned to go and then something Jasper had said hit me. I turned back

"Jaz?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you mean 'until recently' when you said hadn't heard from Tanya since she got kicked out of school?" Jasper sighed

"She's back and Edward has had to take out a restraining order against her" I nodded again and turned to leave

"Bella?" I turned back and found Jaz looking at me, I could see him struggling with something for a moment before determination set in and he spoke

"He will see sense. I promise. But you need to make your decision about Jake. And soon" I stared at him, shocked. Before I could say anything Mr Aro, one of the partners called for Jaz. He gave me one last look and followed Mr Aro into his office. I shook my head and walked to mine, still in deep thought.

The rest of the week flew by in a flurry of meetings and paperwork. Today was Friday and Kate was coming in to sign off her papers to agree our representation. I looked at my watch and took a deep breath as a knock sounded on my door.

"Come in" the door opened to reveal Kate, she seemed to be talking to someone behind her. I stayed seated as I waited for her to finish her conversation. Kate walked in and I got up smiling

"Good afternoon Kate. I trust you are-" I stopped mid-sentence as I noticed the second person. The familiar electric current was running through me so I knew what I was seeing was true

"Izzy, I'm sorry, I brought Edward as he has ties to this case too and I was hoping you could use him as a character witness" Kate said. I nodded, not taking my eyes off of Edward, who was standing in the doorway looking anywhere but at me. I took a moment to collect myself, to put my professional mask back on and then spoke

"That's fine Kate, come in, have a seat and lets get started" I gestured to the two seats in front of my mahogany desk and sat in my chair. My voice sounded shaky even to my own ears.

Kate and I started talking about the case as Edward sat quietly. He had not spoken at all since the meeting began, but every so often I felt his eyes on me. I, however, chose not to look at him. This distance between us was killing me, but I was being professional.

**EPOV – **_**Present Day**_

I watched Bella as she and Kate conversed. I was amazed at how professional she was, despite the slight shake in her voice when she first saw me in the doorway. I looked around her office as they talked. It was light and airy. On one side there was a huge window with the most amazing view of the city; on the opposite side there was a bookshelf with what must be at least a hundred books. I chuckled to myself. She always had loved to read. The wall behind her held her diplomas and degrees along with a beautiful painting of a meadow. I did a double take and realised that the painting was of _our _meadow back in California. Next to the picture was a framed photo of six people. I got up to get a closer look. I was shocked. It was a picture of our gang.

It was taken on the first day of senior year. I remembered the day clearly. We had all met at the beach, as was our ritual for all our first days; we had a breakfast picnic as we said our goodbyes to summer and hello to the start of a new school year. We had just finished our picnic when we all paired off to take a walk. Alice was on Jasper's shoulders, Rose was on Emmett's and Bella was on mine, we all had huge smiles on our faces and looked happy and relaxed. A kind old couple had taken the picture for us. I had a copy of it on my desk back at the office. This was the last one taken of all of us together. Bella had left five months after this was taken. Our gang had never been the same after that. I had never been the same.

I felt many emotions running through me at that moment. The memories were bittersweet. A part of me was happy that she kept this as a fond memory and another part of me was so angry that the reason this was a bittersweet memory was her. I felt her stand at my back before she spoke

"It was a good day, please don't make it something wrong" she said softly, pain in her voice. She still knew me well. I turned slowly to face her, vaguely aware that Kate was still in the room

"It was a good day, but I'm not the one that has made it something wrong" I replied my voice equally soft. She inhaled sharply at my words and I could see the tears forming in her eyes and I felt my heart rip at the sight. I sighed and pulled her into my arms

"I missed you, Kitten. Always. But you did something so wrong that I don't know if I can forgive you for it yet" I held her as she sobbed softly into my shirt. I felt tears running down my face as well. I never could see her cry without crying myself

"I know, Tiger and I'm so, so sorry. The only excuse I have is that I was young and stupid. I missed you everyday" she said into my shirt. I couldn't help but smile a little as she used my nickname from school in response to my use of hers. All to soon she pulled back and looked up at me, her expression soft

"Still can't see me cry, huh?" she said, teasingly, I snorted. She had always teased me about it. I shrugged

"Never could, you know that" I answered. She, of course, blushed. I ran my fingertips over her cheek lightly, feeling the familiar tingle run through my fingers and up my arm. It felt good to speak to her like the good old days, but I knew we had a lot of things to hash out and now was still not the time to do it. I sighed and untangled my arms from around her waist. I immediately felt cold at the loss of her touch

"I promise, we will talk, Bell, but not here, not now. I'm not ready" I said gazing into her beautiful chocolate brown orbs. She nodded and bit down on her lip causing my body to react. I stepped back from her before I could give in to urge to kiss her and turned towards Kate, who was looking at us with a soft expression.

"Are you done here, Kate?" I asked. She nodded and turned to Bella

"Are we done, Izzy?" she asked

"Yes, Kate. We will need to meet again next week. I'm sorry about being unprofessional just now. Oh and, please call me Bella. All my friends do. Izzy is my professional name" Bella smiled tentatively. Kate's answering grin was bright

"No need to apologise, Bella. I completely understand. I will see you next week. Just email me the time and place" Bella nodded and turned to me

"You will need to come in too if you are to be a witness on this case. I will need to get your statement done so that I can submit it to court. Oh and, I need your contact information so that I can give you details of the meetings and court dates and such. I mean, that is if you are willing-" I put my hand over her mouth before she could go any further in her ramblings. I couldn't help but chuckle, she looked so cute.

"Bell, its fine. Here's my card with my contact information and my cell number" I wrote my cell and my house line on the back of my business card and handed it to her.

Kate and I left after Bella promised to call on Monday with details of our next meeting. I however would be seeing her tonight at Fickle, but I didn't bring it up. I was so lost in my thoughts as we walked to the car that I didn't hear Kate call my name at first. It wasn't until she tugged on my arm did I stop and look at her

"You love her" Kate said simply. I looked at her for a moment

"Yes" I answered. I watched as Kate studied my face for a moment

"You need to forgive her, Edward. Let the past go. You can't change it, look to the future" I sighed. I knew she was right but I was having a hard time following through on it. Even if Bella and I became friends again, it would be hard for me not to want more from her and she couldn't give that to me. She was engaged

"I know, Kate and I am trying, believe me, I am trying, but what for? I love her, but I can't have her. She's engaged" Kate looked surprised

"She is?" I nodded and Kate whistled

"Wow, how stupid is this situation? I mean she loves you and you love her, but she's engaged to someone else?" Kate shook her head, I looked at her surprised

"What do you mean she loves me?" I asked. Kate sighed and looked up at me in annoyance

"God, men are so dense sometimes! I mean she loves you just as you love her. It is so obvious! How can you not see it! It's plain as day every time she looks at you!" I pondered this for a moment

"And by the way…Kitten? Tiger?" Kate asked with an amused look on her face, I grinned

"Yeah, we always called each other that. I called her Kitten coz when she's angry she scrunches up her nose and looks more like a cute little kitten than anything else and you can see the flashes of anger in her eyes and she turns bright red, I mean she blushes at anything but when she's angry, she gets these bright red spots on her cheeks and it so adorable like a kitten, so the name stuck. She always called me Tiger in response, I never knew why though" I shrugged

"Oh. My. God" Kate breathed, I looked at her confused

"What?" I asked

"Don't you see it, Edward?" Kate asked, her eyes were as wide as saucers, I shook my head, no

"No, see what?" I asked again

"You loved her even then, you just didn't know it. You have loved her from the beginning!" Kate was practically bouncing on the spot. She reminded me so much of Alice at this moment and then her words hit me. I had been in love with my best friend from day one.

"No way" I whispered to my self, not realising that Kate heard

"Way. Ok, answer me this. When you used to see her back then, how did you feel? Be honest" I answered without hesitation

"Complete" Kate squealed and jumped up to hug me. I laughed as well as I realised that what Kate had said was true. I had loved her then. It explained why her separation had hit me so hard. Why I had never felt right afterwards. Why I had been so angry at her.

Now all I had to do was forgive her and make her see that she was engaged to the wrong person. Easy as pie, right?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**EPOV – **_**Present Day**_

As I got ready to meet the gang at Fickle, I couldn't help but think back to high school, the happier times and the bad. The happy times had been oh so good, but the bad? The bad had been excruciatingly bad. I was looking forward to seeing the gang altogether again. One person's error had affected all of our lives in ways that she had not imagined. It had broken us, some more than others. I had no idea how we could fix it though. We couldn't. Not without having that all important conversation.

At 8pm I found myself standing outside the club waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive. My mind was still going a mile a minute. I was nervous, excited, angry, hurt and happy all at once. I couldn't seem to get a hold on any of my emotions. I was still lost in my thoughts when I felt the tingle at my back, signalling Bella's arrival. I turned and my jaw just about hit the floor at the sight before me.

Bella was dressed in the most sinful sweater dress in a deep blue colour and matching shoes. Her hair was half up in a twisted bun, the rest hanging down her back in waves. Her eyes. My God, her eyes were done in a smokey blue-black shade with eyeliner at the bottom making those beautiful chocolate orbs looking dark with lust. I just about came in my pants there and then. It took me a few moments to notice that the rest of the gang were there too and staring back and forth between us with amused expressions.

"Hey Ed! How's it hangin' lil bro?" I felt Em's large hand slap me on my back, but I couldn't react. All I could do was stare intently at the goddess before me. Who, by the way, was blushing furiously.

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

I stood there, blushing, and watched the green in Edward's eyes darken until they were a deep emerald colour with flashes of black. I was pleased at his reaction. It was the whole reason I had allowed Alice to play 'Bella Barbie' and not complained once in the first place. I walked slowly forward towards Edward, who had yet to move, and placed my hand on his arm

"Hi Edward" I said softly. The sound of my voice and the touch of my hand seemed to bring him out of his stupor. I felt hurt wash over me as he took a step back from me, out of my touch

"Hello Bella" he replied without looking at me. I felt tears prick my eyelids, but I forced them back. I knew it was going to be hard to gain his forgiveness, but I was determined to gain it nonetheless.

We all trooped into the bar and headed to the VIP section, where Alice had had the foresight to reserve a table for us.

Our friends were all talking animatedly as Edward and I sat in silence. After half an hour of this, I found myself annoyed and upset. Two dangerous combinations for me to be around alcohol, so I gestured to our waitress for my one weakness, Tequila.

She brought over the bottle and six shot glasses, with a bowl of limes and salt and I asked her to leave the bottle. I was planning on getting drunk and didn't want to keep calling her over. My friends watched with interest and trepidation as I lined up the shot glasses and poured the Tequila. I had just reached for my shot glass when Alice grabbed my hand

"Bella, don't" Alice knew I only drank Tequila when I was either, a) upset or b) angry. I shook her hand off and picked up the shot glass

"Ali, I love you, girl, but I need this right now" Alice gave me the look that said 'no, you don't' and I gave one right back saying 'fuck off, I do!' She also knew that this was a sure-fire way for me to get drunk quickly.

"What's going on?" I heard Edward ask; Alice gave me one last look and turned to him

"Nothing, Edward. Just a little Girl Talk" I saw Jasper, Rose and Em exchange glances with each other. They all knew my weakness for the drink and the reason why I drank it. Edward simply looked perplexed.

I downed my shot without the salt or the lime. I felt it burn going down, but at this point I was past caring. I saw Edward's shocked expression out of the corner of my eye and smirked

_That's right, Tiger, I'm not much of a Kitten anymore_ I thought to myself

I threw down two more shots before Alice grabbed the bottle away from me, by this point I had a nice buzz going so I stood up and announced that I was going to dance and stalked off without a second glance to see if anyone was following me.

**EPOV – **_**Present Day**_

"Okay, what the hell is that all about?" I asked as I watched Bella walk off towards the dance floor. There was silence around the table as I turned and faced my four companions. I studied each face before my eyes came to rest on Alice's face. I watched as sadness settled on her features

"Alice? What's wrong with her?" I asked just loud enough to be heard over the pulsing beat

"Bella only drinks Tequila for two reasons, Edward" I quirked an eyebrow at her in a silent bid for her to continue, which she did after a deep sigh

"She is either upset or angry. Those are the only two times she drinks the stuff and judging by the look on her face when you backed off from her touch outside the club, I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say she's upset" Damn, I though no one would notice that little interaction. I had tried to be subtle

"Oh" it was the only thing I could think of to say

"Edward, what was that about?" I looked over at Jasper and noticed that he looked annoyed. Before I could answer I saw Em get up with such force that his chair knocked over

"Oh hell no!" he shouted, looking over at the dance floor, I followed his gaze and what I saw made me see red. There on the floor was Bella and she looked to be fighting off the attention of three guys, who couldn't seem to take her no as an answer. Before I knew it I was stalking to the floor, my fists clenched by my sides. I was vaguely aware of my brother and friend following me, but I didn't turn to clarify that. My heated gaze was fixed on where Bella was still slapping away the wandering hands of the three douches. As I approached I could hear her pleas and that only served to fuel my anger

"I said no! Please! Leave me alone!" at that I came up behind Bella and placed my hands on her hips, she froze for a second before she realised that it was me and then relaxed into my grip. I faced the three douches

"Leave. Now." My voice was low and menacing. I felt Em and Jas step forward and stand beside me, flanking me and Bella

"Or what?" The guy in the middle spoke

"Or we can take this outside and you can start praying that you can still eat solids tomorrow" God, I love my brother! Before one of the three douches could reply one of the bouncers came up to us and asked if everything was ok, I turned to him, without taking eyes off of the guy in the middle and replied

"Yes, sir. We were just explaining to these men that when a lady says no, it doesn't always mean carry on with your harassment" and just like that, I had alerted the bouncer to the situation and he grabbed the middle man by his collar and dragged him away. Two other bouncers, who I had not notice arrive did the same thing with the other two douches. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and gazed down at Bella, who had sagged into my chest. Her eyes were closed, which sent me into a panic. I shook her gently

"Bella! Bella! Are you ok?" her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at me. It was then that I noticed the tear tracks and I felt my own eyes prick at the sight

"I'm ok, Edward. Just relieved. Thank you for coming to my rescue"

"Anytime, Kitten" I gave her my crooked grin, which she returned. I led her back to our table where she was ripped from my arms by the blond bombshell and the pixie.

Two hours later we left the club. We made plans to all meet at Bella Italia the next afternoon and for the first time since Monday afternoon I felt no rage against Bella as I looked at her. Huh. Maybe I was finally working past it. I hoped so.

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

Who the hell is hammering this early in the morning? Ugh! The light is blinding too!

I slowly opened my eyes and groaned. My mouth tasted like I had swallowed dirt. Oh right, hangover. I never should have had all that Tequila. I thought back to last night. Edward has looked nearly feral when those three douches wouldn't leave. I liked it. I also liked the concern and panic in his voice when he thought I had fainted. I smiled to myself thinking about the unshed tears in his eyes when he saw the tears on my face. I was brought out of my thoughts with the ringing of my phone. I answered it without looking at the ID

"Hello?"

"Morning, Darling" I started at the deep voice. Jake. Oh shit!

"Hey Jake, how are you?" I asked. Wow, that sounds as if I'm talking to a client and not my fiancé!

"I'm good. I'm good. You? I haven't heard from you all week, Darling. Are you ok?" I felt a twinge of guilt. I had not thought about Jake since Monday and truth be told, I had not even noticed that we hadn't spoken since our engagement party last weekend

"I'm ok, Jake. Just been busy, you know. Got a couple of new clients so I've been in and out of meetings and court" I felt as if I was speaking to a friend or my brother and not the man I was to marry

"That's good. But you should have called me. If you really wanted to, you could have made the time, you know" He said possessively

"I know Jake, but it really has been crazy" I defended myself. What he said next shocked me into silence

"Well, you weren't busy too go out with your friends last night, were you?" I sucked in a breath

"How-" I started

"How did I know about that? Leah was at the bar you were at and she saw you. She sent me a picture of you in the arms of another man. Care to share about that" Jake sounded pissed and I didn't want to do anything to piss him off more

"Oh, that was Edward. He rescued me from three guys who tried to harass me" I tried to sound nonchalant, but I knew I failed

"Edward? Cullen? The Best Friend who broke your heart Edward?" Jake's voice was progressively getting louder with each word

"Yeah" my voice was small

"Bella, how long have you been seeing him behind my back?" Wait. Is he seriously asking me this?

"What the hell is that meant to mean, Jake?" now I was pissed

"You know what it means, Bella? How. Long?" he asked aggressively

"If you must know, I bumped into him for the first time in eight years on Monday morning at court. He is also a key witness in one of my cases, so I had a meeting with him and my client yesterday and last night would be third time I saw him. He was there because he is Emmett's brother and Jaspers best friend and business partner. There is nothing between us, except friendship and if you don't believe that then you can go to hell, Jake!" I knew I sounded angry and defensive, which only made me sound even more guilty, but I didn't care. Jake had crossed a line and I wanted to make it clear to him that he had. Obviously he didn't get that memo because he then replied

"I don't want you seeing him again, Bella. I won't have you seeing him again! You are my fiancé! You are going to be my wife! Mine! Not his! You will not contact him again, you will not speak to him again, you will break all ties with him, understood?" At this I lost it

"Jacob Carl Black! I am NOT a possession! You cannot dictate to me who I can and cannot see! Edward is and always has been my friend. My best friend! He did not break my heart! I broke it myself and his in the process! I have just gotten my friend back after eight long years and I am not about to lose him now! Not over you!" there was shocked silence on the other end and truth be told I was shocked that I had admitted that too. It was the truth though. Edward meant more to me than anyone else and I could not lose him again. This time it would surely kill me. In that moment I knew what I had to do. My decision was made. Now to just follow through on it. I took a deep breath before I spoke

"Jake, we need to talk. Can you meet me at Bella Italia at 12pm, please?" I waited for his response

"Yeah, sure" he muttered and then hung up. I sighed and flopped back against the pillows. I waited until my breathing had calmed and then I called the two people who I knew could help me through this. The phone rang twice before Alice answered

"Bella! Good morning, sunshine! How are you?" she chirped

"Morning, Al. Hang on, I'm conferencing Rose" I said and the pulled up the three way conference call and dialled Rose, who answered almost immediately

"Morning, Bella! What's up?" Rose sounded cheerful and she had drunk almost as much as me. Bitch.

"Morning, Rose. I have Ali on conference. I need my girls"

"What's wrong, Bell?" Alice asked, with concern

I filled them in on my conversation with Jake; they were silent for a beat before Rose spoke

"I'll kill him! How dare he! Who does he think he is?"

"What are you going to de Bella?" Ahhh, Alice, she knew me so well

"I'm breaking it off. I've asked him to meet me at Bella Italia at 12pm. I know we all agreed to meet there for lunch, so I asked him to meet me there at the same time. I need you guys there just in case" They both knew about his temper and the fact that it frightened me

"No problems, Bell. We'll be there!" Alice replied

"Yeah, Bella, We'll be there with bells on! If he dares try anything, I'll just have a great excuse to kill him!" I laughed at that, but I knew she was 100% serious

"Thanks, guys! See you soon!"

"Bye, Bella, see you at the restaurant!"

"See ya!"

At 12pm on the dot, my cab dropped me off at the door of the restaurant. Jake was waiting by the door, looking apprehensive. I stepped out of the cab and walked up to him.

"Hi Jake" I said softly

"Hi Bella" he replied, but made no move towards me. I sighed. It seemed he knew what was coming. We made our way inside and I spotted my friends sitting in the same booth we had sat in on Monday. Jake and I however sat in the booth closest to the door. As I slid in I chanced a look over to my friends. Alice and Rose smiled at me in encouragement, Em simply nodded at me and Jasper gave me a slight wave. I smiled back and then moved my eyes to Edwards face and the pain shown there nearly knocked the breath out of me. My heart clenched at the sight and I felt the tears welling up. I blinked them back and tore my gaze away from his and back to Jake's. I had to do this. I would do this. For him. For me. For us.

**EPOV**

This was not happening. Bella had not just walked in with her fiancé. I felt pain lash at me and my heart shatter. Again. I watched as she slid into the booth by the door facing Jacob. I saw her smile at our table and then her gaze fell on me and changed to…pain? Sadness? I saw her eyes fill with tears and my breath hitched. I tore my eyes away and looked down at the table. I could not watch the happy couple be…well, happy.

I felt myself fall deeper into depression as I sat there and my friends talked around me. I could not bring myself to join into the conversation. I really had lost her. All because I was stubborn and held a grudge against a stupid mistake she made years ago. Shit, I needed a drink. Or a hit. Whatever it took to stop this pain consuming me again. Before I knew it I found myself scratching and rubbing at my arm, looking for the scars of years past. I looked up to see Emmett watching me carefully, as if he knew what I was thinking; he shook his head, a warning in his eyes. I dropped my gaze back down to the table, my hands folded in front of me now.

**BPOV**

We sat facing each other. Not speaking. The waiter came up and I watched as Jake ordered our drinks. Just the fact that he ordered me an iced tea proved to me that he really didn't know me all that well. I hated iced tea. Cherry Coke was my poison. I loved the stuff. There was a long beat of silence and then Jake spoke

"So, what do you want to talk about?" I leaned back in surprise. He had not even bothered to apologise for this morning. I mean really, did he not see how wrong he was?

"Us" I replied shortly. He raised an eyebrow at me

"What about us?" he asked. I gazed evenly at him for a moment and then down to where he had taken a hold of my left hand. It was warm, but I felt none of the pleasurable electricity I felt at Edward's touch. I slowly extracted my hand and pulled off my engagement ring and sat it on the table in between us. It was now or never

"I can't do this Jake. I love you, but not enough to marry you. It's not fair to you" I started, but he cut me off

"What? Are you serious?" he looked incredulous "You're breaking up with me over a little argument?" now it was my turn to look incredulous

"Jake! You accused me of cheating on you and then proceeded to call me your possession! That is not love! That is obsession!"

"I am not obsessed with you! Is it so bad that I love you too much to lose you!" he was nearly yelling at me now and out of the corner of my eyes I saw Alice and Rose look murderous, Em looked like he wanted to come over here and punch Jake. I shook my head at them and turned back to Jake

"Oh I see! That's why you brought me here and asked your so called friends to be here too! To stand guard?" Jake spat at me

"Yes, Jake, I did. But I had already made plans to meet them here for lunch before I spoke to you" I hissed

"And Cullen? Why is he here?" I didn't need to ask him to point out which Cullen he was talking about. I saw Edward's head snap up and look over at us, the pain in his eyes replaced with anger

"Firstly, Jacob, It's Edward and secondly, he is also a friend and that is why he is here! What exactly are you trying imply. Just spit it out!" I was exasperated now. Jake was starting to act like a small child having a temper tantrum. I watched Jake's face as it turned from red to purple in anger and the exasperation gave way to fear

"You're fucking him, aren't you! Answer me!" he hissed at me. I sat back in shock. I could not believe the words that came from his mouth

"How can you do this to me, Bella? I thought you loved me! You are my fiancé, my to be wife! How long? How long have you been sleeping with him? Answer me, Dammit!" he was now full on yelling

"Jake-" I didn't get past that because the next thing I knew Jake had risen from his seat and slapped me clear across the face. I sat there stunned

"You whore! I knew it! You're cheating on me! You bitch, you will-" he didn't finish the statement because faster than humanly possible, Edward had risen from his table, run over and punched Jake in the face. All I could do was sit there and watch as he punched him over and over as he pinned him down to the floor. I felt two pair's of arms circle around me and all I could do was watch as Jacob finally gained some purchase and flipped them over so that Edward was now pinned underneath him. Just as Jake raised his arm to punch Edward I found my voice and strength to move

"NO! You dare lay one finger on him Jacob Black and you will regret it!" I screamed. The two men froze and stared up at me. Jake looked at me and then back down at Edward, who was simply staring at me

"The guy just punched your fiancé several times and you said nothing and I go to punch him once and you defend him! What the fuck, Bella?" Jacob screamed back at me. I rose from my seat and walked calmly over to where Jake and Edward were on the floor, my engagement ring clutched in one hand. I leaned down, pulled Jake's hand towards me, uncurled his fist and placed the ring in his palm

"Ex-fiancé, Jacob. I just broke the engagement off, remember?" with that I held my hand out to Edward, who pushed a stunned Jake away from him and grabbed it. I pulled him up to stand beside me and then turned back to face Jacob. He rose slowly to his feet and took a step towards me. Edward pulled my hand so that I was slightly behind him. I heard him let out a warning growl at Jacob and the sound sent shivers of pleasure down my spine.

"You will regret this, Bitch. I will make you pay for this!" with that he whirled away from us and stormed out. I breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Are you ok?" I looked up at Edward and nodded

"I'm sorry you had to see that" I said as I let my gaze drop. I felt Edwards's fingers under my chin as he pulled my face up

"Hey, I'm sorry I didn't get here before he slapped you, Kitten. I should have been here faster. I should have-" I cut him off by placing my finger on his lips and shook my head

"No, Tiger. You got here plenty fast, so thank you for that" I said softly. I heard two gasps behind me and turned to find Alice and Rose standing next to Emmett and Jas with unshed tears in their eyes and their hands over their mouths

"What?" I asked confused looking from Rose to Alice, who exchanged a glance before turning back to me

"You guys never forgot. You guys always called each other Tiger and Kitten, but only to each other and it's been eight years since you called each other that and…and, it just felt so good to hear you say it again" by this time there were tears streaming down their faces. I ran over to them and enveloped them into a group hug. I had to admit, it felt good to call him Tiger again. All of a sudden we found ourselves in the middle as the guys also wrapped their arms around us. The gang was back. YES!


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**EPOV**

I couldn't help but whistle as I made my way into the office. It was four weeks after the incident at the restaurant and it had been the best four weeks of my life. The gang was back and altogether. I could see Rose and Em getting back together soon as they flirted constantly. Alice and Jas were they same as always and Bella and I? Well, we still hadn't had our talk, but we were at least back on speaking terms. We had spoken a little about the 'Tanya' incident, but had not gone into the matter fully yet. We spoke almost everyday and saw each other at least three or four times a week. I was in heaven. I smiled a lot more now and everyone noticed. I thought back to the phone call from my parents I had this morning before I left for work. Neither Em or I had spoken to them in a couple of weeks so needless to say, they were surprised to hear the cheerfulness in my voice

**Flashback**

_I had just poured my orange juice after my morning workout as the phone rang_

"_Hello?"_

"_Good morning, son. How are you?" My mother's sweet voice filled my ears and I grinned_

"_Morning, Mom! I'm good! How are you and Dad?" I answered cheerfully_

"_We are good. What has my baby boy so happy? Not that I am complaining! It's been too long since I heard you so happy" I felt a little sad at the thought of what I had put my parents through. For eight years I had pulled away from everyone_

"_Bella" I replied simply. I heard my mother gasp on the other end. I wasn't surprised at her reaction; this was after all the first in a long time she had heard the name fall from my lips_

"_Bella Swan?" she whisper_

"_The one and the same, Mom. Unless you know of any other Bella's?" I said teasingly_

"_Oh, my baby!" I heard my mother sob and then my Father came on the line_

"_Edward? Son? Why is you mother crying? What did you say to her?" I heard the panic in his voice and I felt bad. I was like my father in most ways. I also couldn't see the woman I loved cry. Not that any other woman had instigated that reaction in me. Only Bella. _Hmm_, I thought to myself _maybe that should have been my first clue eight years ago?

"_I'm sorry Dad, I didn't mean to make Mom cry. I just told her that I-" _

"_It's happy tears, Carlisle! I'm just so happy!" I heard my mother yell in the background_

"_Ok, now I really want to know. What did you say to her?" Dad asked_

"_Bella" I said again and I heard dad suck in a long breath too and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face_

"_Bella? As in Bella Swan?" Dad asked. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes he and mom were just so alike that it was scary_

"_As I said to mom, dad, yes, Bella Swan, unless you know of any others?" I replied_

"_What…How…When?" I heard Dad splutter and I could help but laugh_

"_Four and a half weeks ago. We bumped into each other when I went to court to file my restraining order and we've been talking since" I said happily_

"_I'm happy for you, son. So…" he trailed off_

"_So, what, dad?" I asked confused_

"_Have you told her you love her yet?" I was stunned_

"_Wha…What…" now it was my turn to splutter, I heard Dad sigh_

"_Son, we could see that you loved her then and that kind of love doesn't just go away" I was shocked_

"_But-but, I only figured it out recently, dad. How could you see it back then?"_

"_Oh, son. It was always there, it just took you a while to catch on to it, now all you have to do is tell her" I sighed. God, I really had been an idiot_

"_It's not that simple, dad"_

"_Why not?" and so I launched into the whole tale. I told him about my anger, her hesitation, her now broken engagement and the fight. Everything_

"_So, as of right now, I don't know what we are. Sure, we are friends, but I really don't know if she loves me or not" I finished_

"_Well, son, if I'm right and you know that I usually am" I rolled my eyes at this "don't roll your eyes at me, young man, you know I am! She does love you too" I chuckled. My dad really did know me well. We talked for a few minutes about the business and our lives before I had to hang up_

"_I gotta go, dad. I have a meeting in the office at 9.30am and it's already 8.30am"_

_We exchanged goodbyes and promises to call more often and then we hung up_

**End Flashback**

I was now at the office. I smiled at the receptionist as I walked in. That may have been a mistake. The girl constantly flirted with me and to be honest it was quite annoying

"Good morning, Mr Cullen" Lauren said, in what I assumed she thought was a sexy voice

"Good morning, Lauren. Has my first appointment arrived yet?" I asked

"Yes sir, they are waiting for you in conference room 1" she replied. I simply nodded and turned towards the elevators

"Mr Cullen?" I turned back

"Yes, Lauren"

"I was wondering if you would accompany me to lunch today" I raised an eyebrow at her. I was surprised at her forwardness.

"Lauren, I don't dip the pen in the company ink, so I will have to decline your offer. But thank you anyway" I said evenly

"Oh, so you would agree if we didn't work together?" I stepped back in surprise. Was she serious? Before I could respond I heard my most favourite voice in the world

"And how do you know he doesn't have a girlfriend, Lauren?" I turned and found Bella stalking towards us, a look of restrained fury on her face.

_Hmm, someone's jealous_

_No, she just doesn't like you being cornered anymore than you do!_

_Yeah…I don't think that's it_

"He doesn't. I've worked here for nearly two years now and I have never seen him bring any girl in" Lauren replied tartly. I bristled at her tone. I was not happy at the way she was speaking to Bella. I opened my mouth to say something, but I should have know that my Kitten could stick up for herself

"Just because he hasn't brought a girl to his workplace, does not mean he doesn't have one, am I right, Tiger?" Bella was now looking at me, silently telling me to play along. I nodded

"Right you are, Kitten" I knew why she had used my nickname in front of Lauren. It was the same reason I would have if the situation was reversed. She was outing me as hers, even though weren't together. Yet. I liked it

"Tiger? Kitten?" Lauren looked from me to Bella and back again. I walked over to where Bella was standing and wrapped my arms around her waist from behind, leaning to rest my chin on her shoulder

"Lauren, meet my girlfriend, Bella. Bella, meet our receptionist, Lauren" I said

"You're not serious? You've never mentioned her before!" Lauren looked incredulously between us. I simply shrugged and turned my head to press a soft kiss on Bella's neck. I heard Bella's breath hitch and I smiled against her skin. I had affected her! Yes! That had to mean something, right?

I inhaled Bella's sweet scent as she leaned into me and whispered

"Lunch with me instead, Tiger?" I nodded against her neck and then released her

"Sure. Meet you at the restaurant at 12pm, okay?" I asked as she turned to face me. I gazed into her beautiful eyes and my heart soared at what I saw there. Love. Pure unadulterated, love. I kissed her cheek and then stepped back. I really wanted to kiss her lips, but I didn't want our first kiss to be in response to jealousy and the subsequent show we had put on. I wanted it to be because we really were together and after we had hashed out all our issues

"I have to go. My first client's already here and waiting but I'll see you at 12pm?" I asked again. She nodded

"Yeah. See you then" she leaned up and kissed my jaw. My heart sped up and crashed against my chest. I watched as she turned and walked out of the building. I strode off to my meeting, grinning goofily. 12pm could not come round soon enough. Today was the day. Today we would talk about everything we needed to.

Two and a half agonizing hours later I strolled into my restaurant. I found Bella sitting in our booth so I made my way over, waving to Laurent as I did

"Hey, Kitten" I said smiling

"Hey, Tiger" she smiled back at me and my breath caught in my throat. God, she was beautiful

"I ordered us the grilled cheese sandwiches with pancetta and some coke" I grinned, this girl really knew me well and knew what I would like without me even having to say it

"Perfect" I replied happily

We talked about our mornings for a while before our food came, which we then ate in comfortable silence. After we had finished, I leaned back into the leather cushion and gazed at Bella. I was unsure of how to start the conversation that was a long time coming. I knew it would be hard, but it had to be done if we were to move forward in our relationship. And yes, I wanted a relationship with Bella. I wanted everything with her. I took a deep breath and started. It was now or never

"Bella, we need to talk" I said and then cringed. Those words always meant one thing in any relationship and it was never good. I watched as Bella's face paled and her body tensed, so I hurried on

"Look, we have a lot of history and a few issues we need to discuss and I would like to talk about them now, if I may. We can't move forward if we don't and I, for one, don't want them holding us back anymore" Bella nodded

"I agree, Edward. We do need to talk. How about this? You ask the questions you have and I'll answer them" she said

"In true honesty?" I asked, she nodded. I thought about it for a second and then asked my first question

"Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" I asked softly. This was the hardest question of all of them, but the one that had always been at the forefront of my mind. Bella sighed and looked down at the table before she spoke

"Honestly, it was pure stupidity on my part. I see that clearly now. After I left you at school that day, I drove around for a while before I went home. Emmett called when I got home and asked where you were, saying you had run out of the parking lot muttering to yourself. I was still a little pissed at you so I told him you weren't with me and he should just ask Tanya" I flinched at the name and she noticed and smiled weakly, asking with her eyes if I was ok, I nodded for her to continue

"After I hung up, I went over to Tanya's myself and we had words. I saw your shirt hanging on the banister and she then said a few things and I know you know what words were exchanged, because Alice told me she had told you. I, well, I lost it. My heart broke that day and I knew that I couldn't see you with her day in, day out, so I left. It was my biggest mistake" she finished. I watched as her eyes filled with tears, my own prickling in response. I nodded and then asked my next question

"So, why didn't you come back? Or call?"

"Because I was stubborn and again, just plain stupid. After Alice came back to New York after graduation, we didn't speak about you. I asked her not to. It was just too hard to hear your name. My second mistake. After that, as more time went on, I felt too ashamed" I nodded again

"And now?" I asked, she sighed still looking down at the table

"And now, I still feel ashamed, but it's too damn hard to stay away from you. I missed you too much and can't do it anymore. I missed my best friend" I sucked in a breath at the last words. Was that all I was to her?

"Is that all I am to you, Bella? Your best friend?" I asked. Bella slowly raised her head and looked me dead in the eye as she spoke; I saw the determination and sincerity there

"No, Edward, you are much more. You always have been, but I was never anything more than that to you" she said honestly. I leaned forward and took her hand into mine, the familiar electricity flowing between our joined hands

"Do you feel that too, Bella?" I asked she nodded. I tried to regulate my breathing before I spoke. It was time. I was going to be honest with her

"Bella, when you left, I broke. You and only you have the power to fix me. Kate tried in college, but I see now that it was never her who could. It was always only you. Bella, I loved you then and I love you now. It's always been you, Kitten" I said the last softly. Bella gasped, her eyes widened as she stared at me. The unshed tears in her eyes fell, as did mine in response. I stood up and slipped into the booth next to her and wrapped my arms around her as she sobbed into my shirt

"I'm sorry, Tiger, I'm so, so, so sorry. I never meant to hurt you! I'm so sorry!" she cried. My own tears fell unchecked as I shushed her, stroking her hair. We sat like this for a few more minutes while she calmed down. Finally she pulled back, but only just enough to raise her face to look at me. She raised her hand and placed it on my cheek. I sighed contentedly as I leaned my head into her hand

"I love you too, Edward. Always have, always will" she whispered. My answering smile was huge. I leaned down slowly, looking from her eyes to her lips in a silent question. She tilted her head back in response, giving her acceptance just as silently. I leaned further and captured her soft lips with my own. It was slow and sweet, just as our first kiss should be. Our lips moved together in perfect synchrony, as if they were two pieces of a puzzle that fit only with each other. In that moment I saw stars and fireworks. It was heaven. I licked her bottom lip, asking for entrance and she gave it immediately. Our tongues met in a dance as old as time, but new for us.

It seemed like hours later when we finally pulled apart and we were both panting when we did. Bella was the first to speak

"Wow. Just. Wow" she said breathlessly. I chuckled in response and nodded

"Couldn't have said it better, my love" I replied, equally as breathlessly. We stared at each other for a long moment

"Bella, Can I take you out to dinner tonight?" I asked, suddenly shy

"Of course. Wait, as in a date, date?" she asked

"Yes" I replied, smiling crookedly. She reached up to stroke my cheek

"I love that smile. I would love to go out on a date with you, Edward" she smiled brilliantly and for a moment I lost my train of thought before I shook myself out of the Bella induced stupor

"Great, I'll pick you up at 7pm?" she nodded. I hesitated and then asked the most important question

"Does this mean you are my girlfriend?" she chuckled

"Edward, we just played tonsil hockey, I think it's safe to assume that, don't you?" I smiled widely before I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers once again quickly

"Awesome! That means I can now kiss you whenever I want! Yay me!" I said happily. Bella laughed loudly

"Yay you! And Yay me too! Coz, I get to do it too…boyfriend" she added shyly

"I like the sound of that…girlfriend" we smiled at each. I leaned down to kiss her again when we heard a throat clear behind us. I turned to find Emmett grinning widely

"Well, looky here. What do we have?" he wiggled his eyebrows, still grinning. Bella blushed and buried her face in my chest as I chuckled

"Hey, Em. What are you doing here?" Em walked over and slid into the booth facing us

"Lunch. So does this mean that you two finally grew a pair and admitted your feelings to one another?" he asked. I nodded and looked down at Bella, who was now leaning her head on my shoulder. I leaned down and kissed her head

"Aww, look at that. Isn't that sweet" Em said, still grinning, I simply rolled my eyes at him

"Seriously, dude, I'm happy for you two. It's been a long time coming" he turned to Bella then and said in the most serious voice I had ever heard him use

"Thank you, Bell. You've brought my brother back. I love you, lil sis" Bella reached over and clasped his massive hand in hers and squeezed, he smiled back

"So when are you gonna tell the rest of the gang?" he asked, looking back and forth between me and Bella, who now looked terrified

"Oh God, pixie is gonna torture me!" she said, I couldn't help it, I laughed loudly

"Kitten, don't worry, I'll be there with you too" I said

"Tiger, she'll torture me for details! She's going to freak!" she said frantically. I pulled her face up to look at me and gazed right into her eyes with all the love I had for her in me

"Baby, Please don't panic. Do you not want to tell them yet?" I asked, she shook her head vigorously

"No! No, that's not it! I know! Lets play with them a little!" she smiled and I could see the evil glint in her eyes

"What do you mean?" Em asked, Bella turned to face him

"I mean, I'm going to tell them that I have a new boyfriend and Edward will tell them that he's 'sort of seeing' someone and then on Friday, we'll all meet here for dinner" I couldn't help but admire her thought process. We discussed the plan on how to out us for a few more minutes and then Bella looked down at her watch and said she had to go to a meeting. She gave me a quick chaste kiss on the lips and left. She had been gone not five minutes when Emmett turned to me and spoke

"Well, this has been the most interesting lunch. Ever!" I laughed and quickly said my goodbyes too. I had a 3 o'clock meeting across town and it was now 2pm. It would take me 45 minutes to get there and with traffic it could very well take up to an hour. As I walked out into the sun, I felt as if I was on cloud nine. I had my girl.

Friday came round quickly. Bella and I had had our first date on Monday and the second on Tuesday. I had taken her to dinner and then Carnegie Hall to see the New York Symphony on Monday. It was a perfect first date, which ended with the most perfect kiss outside her apartment. The second date had simply been a picnic in the park, followed by a moonlit walk. Simple, but perfect for us.

I was now on my way to the restaurant to meet Bella and the gang. We had both told them (except Emmett, of course) that we were separately seeing new people. Alice had freaked when I told her and Bella informed me that the little pixie had almost shouted the house, or rather apartment down when Bella told her about her 'Mystery Man'. We had both laughed so hard when she told me that Alice had threatened to kill the 'Mystery Man' and do unspeakable things with his body parts. Yep, they were going to be surprised! Bella was loving playing out this plan and it made me so damn happy to see her happy. The cab dropped me off outside the restaurant and I made my way in.

The gang was all here. I was the last one in, as per the plan. I walked to 'Our Booth' as it was now known. Alice and Jasper were facing the door, so they saw me walking up and waved

"Edward! Where's your date?" Alice asked as I approached

"She's here, Ali, calm down, you'll get to meet her soon enough" I replied, winking at Emmett who snickered into his drink as I slide into the empty space beside Bella

"Hey all, how's it going?" I asked as I looked round at each face, saving the best for the last

"It's going great! We're just waiting for the two new additions to turn up so we can order. Which reminds me, Bella, where is your 'Mystery Man', shouldn't he be here by now? He's late and you know that means a point knocked off, right?" Alice was on a roll, so before she could go any further, I turned to Bella

"Hey, Kitten" she smiled up at me and I couldn't help but smile back

"Hey, Tiger" she winked at me and grabbed my hand under the table. Alice huffed

"Ok, so now you've said your hellos, are either of going to answer my questions?" she asked. I chuckled and shook my head the same time Bella did

"Ali, you will meet my man when I wish for you to do so and not a minute before" Bella said firmly

"Same goes for me, Al" I said, equally as firm. Alice huffed again and started grumbling. I looked down at Bella and raised my eyebrow in silent question as to whether now was a good time to start showing them what we meant. She nodded ever so slightly and together we raised our clasped hands and brought them to rest on the tabletop. No-one noticed as they were all too busy reading the menu. I stroked Bella's hand slowly. She looked to me and nodded again

"Baby, what are you having?" I asked, winking. We knew that if nothing else, our new nicknames would out us faster than Alice could say Dolce & Gabbana

"I'm not sure, I'm thinking of sticking with the Mushroom Ravioli, How about you, Honey?" she replied, grinning back at me. I really wanted to kiss her at this point, but knew that I would have to wait for the right moment. So instead I dropped a quick kiss on her forehead before replying

"The Ravioli is exquisite, but I think I may have the Pancetta and Chicken Paste Verde" I answered, all the while aware of the rest of our gang looking back and forth between us, all puzzled except Emmett, who was smiling widely

"Mmm, that does sound nice too. I'll tell you what, you order that and I'll order the Ravioli and we can just pick at each other's plates"

"I like that idea" I again raised my eyebrow in silent question for the next step and she again nodded slightly. I removed my hand from her grasp and wrapped it around her shoulder. We turned back to the gang, who were still looking puzzled. It was Rose who spoke first

"Erm…I'm confused. If you two are dating other people, why are you acting like you are dating each other? Won't that confuse your dates when they get here?" Em chuckled from beside her and nodded for us to bring it on home. I looked down at Bella and she smiled back at me before turning back to our friends

"Well, my boyfriend is already here. Would you guys like to meet him?"

"My girlfriend is also here, care to meet her, guys?" Rose rolled her eyes

"That's kind of the whole point of tonight, isn't it?" she asked. Bella and I nodded to her then turned back to face each other

"Hello, boyfriend" she whispered

"Hello, girlfriend" I whispered back before I leaned down and kissed her lips softly, finally. And wait for it 3…2…1

"AHHHHHH! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! YOU! AND YOU!" I smiled against Bella's lips and pecked them one more time before pulling away and facing our friends. Emmett and Jasper were smiling widely and Rose and Alice were sitting there with their mouths hanging open. Bella, Em and I burst out laughing as Alice and Rose snapped their jaws shut. Rose turned to Emmett and glared

"You knew? You knew! And you didn't tell me?" she asked him, Emmett nodded

"I found out on Monday. By accident, of course. I came across them having lunch here and found them eating each other instead of food" Emmett said, still smiling. Rose turned back to us and raised an eyebrow

"He's telling the truth, Rose. Bella and I met for lunch on Monday. We talked everything out and have been together since" Bella nodded her affirmation before she leaned her head onto my shoulder. I leaned down and kissed her head, in much the same way I did on Monday

"Oh my God! I'm so happy for you two! Finally!" Alice half squealed and half whispered as she wiped a tear away. I looked down at Bella and saw her smiling; I couldn't stop my smile in response

"We are too, Al, we are too" I murmured. I felt as if my heart was bursting with happiness and it was all thanks to this wonderful creature next to me

"I love you, Kitten" I whispered in Bella's ear. She tilted her head up and kissed my jaw

"I love you, Tiger" she whispered back amidst the 'awww's' from our friends.

Dinner was a loud affair after that. Peppered with many questions, jokes and general fun. Bella and I were the first to leave as we were driving down to Manhattan the next day to visit my parents. Some people may think it was too soon for the 'Meet the Parents' routine, but Bella and I had know each other for 12 years and Bella was already on good terms with my parents, so this was merely a formality. They loved her already and had done for as long as I had.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**BPOV**

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!

I'm meeting my boyfriend's parents today! Okay, so I already know them, but still. I'm meeting them for the first time as Edward's girlfriend and they don't know that little fact. Edward has told them that he is bringing his new girlfriend home to meet them, but hasn't told them yet that that girlfriend is me. Am I worried? Yes. Am I scared? Hell Yes! I know Esme and Carlisle like me already, but as Emmett and Edward's friend. I have no idea how they will react to my dating their youngest son.

Edward picked me up half an hour ago and currently we are on our way to their place in Manhattan. Edward is driving one handed; his other hand is holding mine, rubbing soothing circles across my knuckles in hopes to calm me some. It's working. To an extent.

20 minutes later, we pull up to a beautiful white house surrounded by trees. One side of the house, I know, is all glass, which overlooks a small lake at the end of their garden. There is a wrap around porch with a porch swing by the front door. It's really very picturesque here and I have always loved it. True, I have only been here a couple of times, with Emmett, of course, but still. I don't think Edward knows about my contact with Esme and Carlisle and I'm not sure how he will react to this little piece of news.

I wait in the car as Edward comes round to my side and opens my door. He has always been such a gentleman and though it irks me when other men used to do this for me, with Edward, somehow, I don't mind it as much. In fact, I like it. I feel safe, protected and loved. Edward helps me out the car and pulls my face up to meet his eyes

"Kitten, it'll be fine. Trust me" his eyes bore into mine as he says this

"I know, Tiger, I know. I do trust you, but I can't help but feel a little scared" I reply with a small smile. He leans down and lightly brushes my lips with his soft ones. I feel my heart race at the most simplest touch. He has only ever been the one that could incite such a reaction so strong in me.

We walk to the door and he pauses and wraps his arms around me before ringing the doorbell

"I love you, Kitten. Always" he whispers and I feel my self melt into his embrace

"I love you too, Tiger. Forever" I replied. Edward let me go and reached down to clasp my small hand in his larger one as he rang the bell and we waited for someone to answer. Suddenly the door swung open and we were greeted by a smiling Esme

"Edward! Bella! How are you, my darlings?" she pulled us into the foyer and into a three-way hug, not noticing at first that we are holding hands. She hugged Edward and he gave her a sweet kiss on her cheek

"Hey Mom, how are you?" Esme beamed up at him

"I'm happy! My baby boy is home and he brought a special someone with him and-" Esme stopped mid-sentence and looked around confused "Edward, honey, I thought you were bringing your new girlfriend? Where is she?" Edward stepped back and squeezed my hand gently before he spoke

"Mom, I did bring my girlfriend" he smirked. Esme looked back and forth between us and then down at our joined hands. It took her a few moments but then she gasped. All of a sudden she screamed

"Carlisle! You owe me $50!" Edward and I stared at her in shock as Carlisle came skidding round the corner

"What- Oh! Hello, son. How are you?" Carlisle and Edward shook hands

"Hey dad. I'm good" he pulled me forward "You remember Bella, right?" Carlisle smiled and pulled me into a hug

"Hi Bella, dear. How are you?"

"Hi Carlisle, I'm great and you?" Carlisle released me and turned to Edward

"Son, I thought you were bringing your new girl. Is she not here?" Esme snickered and whispered in my ear

"Wait for it. He'll get there" I smirked and watched as Carlisle looked between Edward and I and then at our hands. It was silent for a beat and then he gasped. Esme, Edward and I burst out laughing

"Pay up, C! 50 bucks!" Esme stated gleefully and held out her hand, palm up. Carlisle pulled a fifty out of his wallet and slapped it into her hand, grumbling as he did

"Wait. Wait. You two bet on Bella and me becoming a couple?" Edward asked looking between his mother and father who now looked a little sheepish

"Uh…no?" I couldn't help but snigger at Carlisle's unsure response. It was highly comical to see two parents being scolded by their child. I watched as Edwards lips twitched as he fought the smile that was threatening to break out. He tried valiantly to look stern but lost the fight when he glanced over at me. The next thing I knew the four of us were laughing uncontrollably as we walked into the sitting room.

Dinner was a nice affair, filled with playful banter and conversation. I felt much more relaxed and at ease. It had never been like this with Jacob and his family, though I loved Billy, his father dearly, I had never felt so at home with him as I did with Esme and Carlisle.

We left the Cullen's later than we expected. We were having too much fun to leave. I had tears in my eyes though as we left. As Esme hugged me goodbye, her words warmed my heart

"Thank you, Bella, for bringing my son back to us. Welcome to the family. It won't be long before I can officially call you my daughter" I pulled back and stared at her. All she did was smile and wink at me.

_Did she just imply what I think she just implied?_

_You know…I think she did_

_Holy Crow!_

_Amen to that!_

I felt Edward come up behind to say his goodbyes. We left amidst promises to come back soon.

The next two weeks flew by in a haze of meetings, court dates and…well…general dates with Edward. Suddenly June was upon us and I was panicking. Today is June 15th and in five days time it is my Edward's birthday and I have no clue what to get him.

I met Alice after work at the mall and prayed hard as I entered that I would find something in there. After all this was his first birthday as a couple. I had to make it count. The Edward I knew all those years would have been easy to buy for; I knew him so well. The Edward I knew now, the one I was currently dating…yeah, not so much. I was pondering these thoughts when Alice placed a hand on my arm

"He hasn't changed that much, you know" I stared down at her, shocked

"How did you-"

"Know? Your eyes give you away. I mean, yeah he's an adult now and there is an eight year difference between the Edward you knew then and the one you know now, but Bells, he's still Edward underneath it all" I wrapped my arm around her shoulder in a one armed hug

"Thanks Ali" and just like that I knew what to get him, now I just had to find it.

Alice and strolled into the music store I had seen before, but never ventured into. Inside it was darkened with strobe lighting. I quickly found what I was looking for and made my way over to the counter to pay for it. When I got to the counter I felt the past hit me like ice cold water. There behind the counter at the cash register was none other than Tanya Denali.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Little Bella Swan" she smirked, an evil glint in her eye

"Tanya, how unpleasant to see you" I smirked right back. Yeah, there was no way I was taking any of her shit now. I had grown up, even if she hadn't. Plus I had Edward now. Her ploys hadn't worked

"Hmm…still as snarky as ever, I see?"

"You know it. How about you? Still as slutty as ever?"

"Pft. At least I've got a man to be slutty with" she flashed her left hand as she said this. I caught a flash of a huge fuck off diamond on her ring finger. I mean it was seriously huge!

"Oh wow, that's quite a rock you have there. Who, may I ask is the unlucky fella?" she rolled her eyes

"Edward. You remember him, don't you? Yeah, we've been together ever since and are so in love" I stiffened. Surely she couldn't be talking about _MY_ Edward, could she? Before I could react she continued

"Of course you remember him! You were into him back then. Don't tell me you weren't, coz we all saw it. Well, your loss is my gain. We're getting married at Christmas" Oh hell no, she did not just say that. I have to speak to Edward. NOW. Suddenly I got a flash of inspiration and whipped my phone out, keeping my gaze on Tanya's smug face.

"Hello?"

"Tiger? It's me"

"Kitten? What's wrong? Are you ok?" Edward heard the strain in my voice. I watched as the smug look on Tanya's face switched to shocked. She knew who I speaking to, so I decided to play a bit with her and put the phone on speakerphone

"Tiger, I'm ok. I'm still at the mall and have just run into an old _friend_ of ours" I hissed the word friend as I used the term very loosely in regards to Tanya

"A friend? Of ours? Who, Baby? And do you have me on speaker?" Edward asked, the confusion evident in his voice

"Yes, you're on speaker. The friend I'm speaking of is apparently your fiancé" I stated

"MY WHAT? Kitten, that's not funny. I don't have a fiancé…yet" my breath hitched at the last word, a smile breaking out over my face. I looked up at Tanya and saw that her face was red with rage. Good

"Eddie, Baby, how can you say that?" She said into the phone in a sugary sweet voice. I heard Edward stop breathing for a second before he whispered

"Tanya?"

"Yes, Eddie Baby, it's me. It's ok, you don't have to lie to her, she knows" I stayed silent watching and listening. I wanted to see how this played out

"Kitten? Are you still there?" Edward asked with slight panic in his voice. I could hear him moving and it sounded like he was running

"Yes, Tiger, I'm here and I'm ok. I just thought you might want to speak to your fiancé" I said with a smirk. I knew he would pick up on the fact that I didn't mean it seriously. He did

"Oh, sure, I mean it's not everyday a guy finds out he has a fiancé via a phone call from his girlfriend, right?" my smile grew as he said this, he was playing along. I watched the emotions cross Tanya's face as Edward spoke

"I mean, you would have thought I would remember proposing to her, wouldn't you, baby?" He continued, Alice was barely holding in her laughter beside me, though the odd snicker did escape from her mouth

"Of course, you could have been under the influence when you did it, Tiger" I bit my lip trying to hold in the bubble of laughter building inside me. The look on Tanya's face was priceless!

"Yep. Hey where are you?"

"Music store on main level, why?"

"Turn around, Baby" I turned and saw my own personal piece of heaven leaning against the door frame with my favourite smile. He walked, no he _sauntered_, towards me and swept me up in his arms before leaning down to place a soft, sweet kiss on my lips

"Hey Kitten"

"Hey Tiger. What are you doing here?" I asked happily. He shrugged

"I needed to pick up something for Saturday. How about you?" I blushed and looked away. Unfortunately Tanya was in my line of sight. She cleared her throat

"Eddie, Baby? How could you?" she whined. I felt Edward stiffen as he turned to face Tanya, his arm tightening around my waist

"Tanya, what the fuck? We are not now, nor will we ever be, engaged, what the hell are you thinking?" I could see and feel the rage building inside him, so I thought it best to intervene now

"Edward, lets get out of here, please. The atmosphere in here is too stifling for me. Too much cheap perfume" I snarked. Edward gazed down at me, his eyes softening

"Sure, Kitten, let's go" he took my hand and we walked to the entrance together where he paused and glanced over is shoulder without turning around fully

"Oh and Tanya? I will be adding Bella to that retraining order. Same rules and conditions apply" with that Alice, Edward and I walked out.

The day of Edward's birthday dawned sunny with bright blue skies. New York had never looked lovelier or maybe that was just the bliss talking.

I was smiling as I got up and made my way to the kitchen to make coffee. Edward would be knocking any moment now so that we could meet the Cullen's for breakfast. There was a surprise party planned at Bella Italia for tonight, so as far as Edward was concerned his parents were meeting us for breakfast because they had a dinner with one of Carlisle's colleagues from the hospital tonight. He had no clue about the party Alice and I had successfully organised for tonight. He just thought we were meeting just the gang for dinner there.

I had just finished showering when I heard the knock on the door. Damn he was early. I quickly wrapped the towel around me and ran to answer the door. I pulled it open with a wide smile, which froze immediately. Standing at my door was not Edward, but Jacob.

"Bella" he smirked as his eyes trailed from my face down my body and up again

"Jacob, what are you doing here?" I asked, pulling the door closer to me to deny him access

"We need to talk" he stated simply, folding his arms across his chest. I shook my head

"No, Jacob, we don't. Everything that needed to be said was said that day" at this he unfolded his arms and shouldered past me into the living room and started pacing. I left the door open because I knew that Edward would be arriving any minute now. God, I hoped he arrived soon.

"No, Bella, everything was not said. You need to understand that as my fiancé you-"

"Hold the phone, Jacob, I am no longer your fiancé or did you forget that little detail?" he rounded on my and I took a step back at the look of pure rage in his eyes. It honestly frightened me

"Bella, you are mine for as long as I deem you worthy to be" I gasped and then slapped him

"I. Am. Not. Your. Possession Jacob Black! Now get out of my house before I call the cops!" I shouted. It was at that moment that I realised that slapping him may have been a mistake. Before I knew what was happening he had his hand around my throat, choking me. My towel fell to the floor

"You are MINE! Understood? Mine!" He roared in my face. I was starting to lose focus now due to the lack of breath, but I refused to black out in front of him. I struggled against him as he screamed profanities at me. I was losing the fight for breath and the blackness was creeping in around the edges. Just before I lost consciousness I heard the sweetest sound in the world. My angel had come. I felt Jacob being ripped away from me and I slumped to the ground. The last thing I saw before I lost the fight against consciousness was my angel rolling around on the floor with the devil.

**EPOV**

I cradled Bella in my arms as the officers handcuffed Jacob and took him away. Some kind neighbour had heard the fight and called the cops. I was rocking my love on the floor, her breathing shallow and laboured. I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see my father bending over me

"Son, let the paramedics take care of her. You need to let her go-" I shook my head, my tears running down my cheeks

"No, no, no…she can't leave me, dad. She promised she never would again" I sobbed. My father knelt down beside me

"Son, she's going to be ok. She just needs a check-up, ok?" I looked up into his eyes and read the care and sincerity there. I nodded my consent. I picked my Kitten up from the floor and laid her gently onto the sofa and covered her with the blanket that lay folded on the back. The paramedics went to work on her immediately. I watched them closely. I felt my dad pat his hand on my shoulder before he went over to determine the situation.

What felt like hours later dad walked back over to me and pulled my into a hug

"She fine, son. She'll be coming round soon. She just had the breath knocked out of her, but she's fine" he whispered in my ear. I nodded and felt fresh tears run down my cheeks. These were in relief. All of a sudden the front door crashed open and I saw a black haired blur run at me

"Edward! Oh my god! Is she ok? We came as soon as we got the call from Esme" Alice cried

"She's ok, Al. she hasn't woken up yet, but she's ok" I said, my eyes still on my Bella. I watched as she stirred slightly and moaned. I extracted myself from Alice's arms and walked to the sofa, falling to my knees in front of her face

"Eddwwwaar-"the smile that broke out my face must have been a mile wide. She was waking up and it was my name she said first. I heard Alice and my father whispering behind me

"How is she really, Doc?"

"She's going to be just fine"

"And Edward?"

"He'll be ok once she wakes up" I heard the smile in my father's voice

"He wasn't hurt then?"

"Not physically, no"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, he was hurt emotionally. You should have seen him Alice. The last time I saw my son like that was eight years ago. I'm glad this has a different outcome" I watched Bella's face as I listened to my father say this and I heard the pain and sadness in his voice. It was too much for me to bear

"I'm sorry, Dad. I never meant for my pain to hurt you" I whispered, not taking my eyes from Bella's face. I felt my father lay his hand on shoulder once again

"I know, son, but as a parent, it happens anyway. I'm just really glad things a very different now" I turned to look at him and saw unshed tears in his eyes. He smiled at me and I smiled back. We would be ok. I turned back to Bella and saw her eyelids flutter before she opened them and stared right at me

"Edward?" her voice was a hoarse whisper, but it was still the sweetest sound to my ears

"I'm here, Baby. How are you feeling?" I saw her smile and there was nothing in the world that I could do, not that I wanted to, to stop my answering smile

"Sore, but happy to see you, Tiger" I chuckled and kissed her gently

"I'm happy to see you too, Kitten" she tried to lift herself off the couch and I leaned forward and helped her into a sitting position

"OH! Shit! Tiger, I'm so sorry!" Bella exclaimed suddenly, I pulled back, startled and frantically looked her over

"What? What's wrong?"

"Your birthday breakfast! We missed it!" I rolled my eyes. Only my Bella would worry about that first

"Bella, that was the last thing on my mind. As long as you are ok, that's all that matters to me" I placed a kiss on her forehead. I pulled back to find that she was looking down and away from me

"Jacob?" she asked in a whisper

"In police custody" I replied curtly. Surely she couldn't be concerned about him, not after what he did that day at the restaurant and again today?

"Good" I barely heard it, but hear it I did. As I gazed into my Kitten's eyes and saw pain and anger there and it made my heart clench. I wanted so much to take that look away from her. I gathered her into my arms and rubbed soothing circles on her back, not saying a word. We were interrupted by a throat clearing. I looked up to see an officer standing in the doorway. I watched him cautiously as he walked into the room and stopped before us

"Ms Swan, Mr Cullen, I am Officer Steve Twain. If it's not too much trouble, can I get your statements now, please?" he spoke softly, as if unsure of our reactions. I looked to Bella and saw her smiling. She motioned for Officer Twain to take a seat just as I rose from the floor and took my seat next Bella on the couch

"That's fine Officer Twain, please call me Bella" I felt Bella slip her hand into mine as she spoke with Officer Twain. She recounted everything that had happened on the day of their break-up and then everything that had happened today. I felt my jaw tighten as my rage against Jacob grew exponentially with each word she spoke. I remembered the look in Jacob's eyes that day at the restaurant. The pure feral rage and possessiveness made me fear for Bella's safety. If anything happened to her, it would surely kill me. Maybe I could talk her into hiring protection?

_Are you insane? She would freak!_

I sighed at that thought. Well, it seems that I would just need to be around her more often. I internally smirked. As if that was such a chore! I was brought out of my thoughts by Officer Twain rising from the seat

"Thank you, Bella. We'll be in touch if we need anything else from you, but other than that, we'll see you in court" Bella rose unsteadily, my hands instinctively reached out to support her. She looked down at me and smiled in thanks. I rose too, still keeping my hands in her waist.

"Thank you Officer" Officer Twain nodded at me and then left. We each let out a deep sigh. I ran my fingers through my hair. Bella turned and placed a hand on my chest and as always her touch calmed me

"Tiger, I'm sorry this ruined your morning, but can we move past it, please? I don't want this to rule my life, _our_ lives?" I looked down at her and saw the determination in her eyes. As much as I feared for her safety, I couldn't deny her this. I couldn't deny her anything. I sighed then wrapped my arms around her

"Of course, Kitten. We'll continue this day as if nothing has happened" I brushed my lips across hers

"Thank you, Tiger. I love you" she whispered against my lips. I groaned and crushed my lips to hers, slipping my tongue inside her mouth as soon as she granted me access. She deepened the kiss, moaning softly into my mouth. I pulled her tighter to me, I needed her closer, but we both knew if we didn't stop soon we would be taking this to the next level and we had yet to take that step. I didn't want to take that step in retaliation to Jacob Black. I pulled back, panting

"Bella, baby, you have no idea how much I want you, but now is not the time" I was desperately trying to catch my breath and I could see that Bella was trying to do the same. It certainly didn't help that she was clad in only a blanket

"I know, Tiger. Our time will come, but you are right, as always" she smirked at me and I smirked right back. We heard a low whistle then. Startled we turned to find our family and friends standing in the doorway staring at us, mouths wide open, jaws near the floor. Alice, Rose and Mom fanned themselves

"Phew! That was one hot kiss!" Rose exclaimed "Bella, if the man kisses like that, I have no worries on whether he can satisfy you in bed, girl!" Bella, of course, blushed and buried her face in my chest. I simply grinned proudly at Rose's compliment. That is until my darling mother spoke

"Yep, I surely did not raise any fool! He is, after all, his father's son!" now it was my turn to blush

"Mom!" I cried. Mom simply widened her eyes at me innocently

"What? It's true! Your father is the best-"

"Mother, for the love of all that is holy, _please_, do not finish that sentence!" I cut her off before I could hear any damaging details about my parent's private life. That was something no child wishes to know about!

"Ewww, mom!" Emmett exclaimed, catching on a little later than me. Everyone just laughed at Emmett and me. I huffed and pulled Bella tighter to me and buried my face into her hair, my forehead resting on her shoulder. She stroked my hair as she laughed, her nails scratching my head. I couldn't help it, I moaned. The pleasure she was giving me simply by running her fingers through my hair was indescribable and shot straight down to my nether region

"Kitten, you need to stop doing that" I whispered into her ear, trying to gain control of my now raging hard on

"Why? Do you not like it?" she whispered back, hurt evident in her tone. Oh no, I needed to make it clear to her that, that was he last thing I wanted to convey

"No, I love it, but unless you stop, our first time together is going to be me fucking you like an animal in front of our family and friends" I heard her breath hitch and then stop altogether

"Breath, Bella" she exhaled a long breath, her sweet scent washing over me, nearly causing me to make good on my promise of taking her here and now

"Get a room, you two!" Alice shouted.

_Damn, I had forgotten that they were here again! _

_Why are they still here again?_

_Because they are your family and they love you both!_

_Oh yeah..._

I was brought out of my thoughts by Bella whispering in my ear

"Do you think they would take the hint if we simply ignored them for a bit?" I chuckled at the slight frustration in her tone, loving the fact that she felt the same as I did

"Its Alice, baby. I don't think so" she huffed then pulled away slightly to look over her shoulder

"Alice, sweetie, you know I love you, but right now I really wanna kill you, you know that?" Bella said in a sugary voice. I couldn't help but laugh. My Kitten was perfect and safe.

Or so I thought.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**BPOV **

The next two weeks flew by in a haze of work, family, friends and Edward. Edwards surprise party went off without a hitch and he had loved it. I had called Charlie and told him about the incident and needless to say, he was livid and concerned. I also told him about Edward.

**Flashback**

"_Hello?"_

"_Hey, Dad, it's me"_

"_Hey Kiddo! How are you?"_

"_I'm god, Dad. You?" I knew he would hear the hesitance in my voice right away_

"_What's wrong, kid?" I sighed_

"_Dad, we need to talk" I took a deep breath, knowing that the coming conversation was going to be hard_

"_Dad, I broke it off with Jake. It wasn't right. I didn't love him like- well I don't love him"_

"_You don't love him like what Bella?" his voice was quiet, but I heard the underlying tension. I had made this call to come clean, so I would stick to the truth_

"_I don't love him like I love…Edward" I whispered. I heard Charlie take a deep breath_

"_I see. This is Edward Cullen you are talking about, correct? Edward from school?"_

"_Yes" I whispered again_

"_Hmm…and the fact that you haven't seen Edward in what, eight years and may never see him again didn't play a factor in your decision?" Charlie was being calm. Too calm_

"_I have seen him again, Dad. He's here. In New York. We're together" I held my breath as I waited for the inevitable reaction_

"_WHAT?" Charlie screamed_

"_We're together and have been for near two months now"_

"_Why, then, am I only hearing about this now? And what about Jake? How could you break his heart like that? That boy loves you so much! He worships the ground you walk on! He lives for your smile! He-"_

"_Jacob Black does not love me! A person who loves you would not treat you the way he has treated me! A person who loves you would not slap you in public as a show of possession! A person who loves you would not barge into your home, your sanctuary and attack you!" I stopped speaking abruptly as I realised that I hadn't meant to tell Charlie all this in this manner. He was quiet for a few seconds_

"_He did what?" I sighed again and told Charlie the whole story from beginning to end. Starting from that fateful day eight years ago, right up to the day of Edward's birthday two weeks ago. Charlie was livid. The last thing he said to me before hanging up on me was_

"_I'll kill him for this!" I, of course panicked and tried calling him back immediately, but his phone was engaged._

_Later in the day, Charlie called me back_

"_Hello?"_

"_Hey, Kid" I breathed a sigh of relief_

"_Dad, are you ok? You didn't do anything rash, I hope?" He chuckled_

"_No, sweetheart. I merely had a few choice words with Billy. I also called your mother, so you might want to call her" I groaned_

"_Dad! Why? You know she's just going to panic, right?"_

"_Which is why I just told you to call her"_

"_Fine, but you owe me for this!" I huffed, Charlie merely laughed and said goodbye, but not without a parting shot_

"_I want to see Edward. And soon, got it, kid?" I gulped and agreed._

Oh lord, nothing good could come from _that _meeting!

**End Flashback**

And so now here we are. Edward and I waiting to board our flight to LA. I was bouncing my leg in nervous anticipation, while Edward, ever the epitome of calm was sitting next to me, happy as Larry, reading today's paper. How could he be so calm at a time like this? I was a bundle of nerves. I had not been back to LA since my father's wedding to Sue. What Edward didn't know was that I had seen him on those visits.

He had not seen me, but I had seen him. Both times

I knew I needed to tell him, but I really had no idea how so I kept quiet as the memories of those days surrounded me. I was lost in these memories when I felt Edward squeeze my hand to indicate that we were now boarding. I got up and followed him onto the plane, still lost in thought. As we sat in our seats, waiting for the plane to take off, Edward turned to me

"Are you ok, Kitten? Is this the first time you're going back?" he looked at me in concern. I shook my head and his eyes widened in surprise

"It's not?" he asked incredulously. I sighed and lifted my eyes to meet his

"No, it's not. I've been back twice since" I whispered, afraid to see his reaction. I watched as his eyes darkened in anger before he controlled his reaction

"When?" he asked curtly. I sighed again. I knew this would hurt him and I had hoped that it would not bring back his anger, maybe I was wrong. Oh well, time to come clean. We had after all agreed to have no more secrets between us. I took a deep breath then explained

"The first time was after high school graduation, I came to visit Charlie before starting college. I lasted two days that time. I saw you and left that same day" I said quietly, watching him warily. The anger had not left his eyes, although when he spoke, he did so softly, calmly

"Why?" I shrugged

"I saw you and shut down. I went to the diner to pick up lunch for Charlie and I saw you there with Esme and a another girl…you had your arm around her shoulders" his eyes lost some of the anger in them as understanding dawned

"You mean Siobhan, my cousin? She visited us that summer" he arched one eyebrow. Now my eyes widened in surprise

"Oh. Maybe I should have stopped when Esme tried to catch me then" I chuckled

"Wait, mom saw you?" I nodded

"Yes, she saw me as I tried to run out of the diner, but I was faster" I said in remorse, my eyes dropping to my lap. Edward lifted my face up with his finger under my chin

"Yes. You should have. I would have loved to have seen you" he murmured. He wrapped his arm around my waist and hoisted me onto his lap as soon as the seatbelt sign blinked out

"And the second time?" he asked. I closed my eyes as I remembered that visit, again another hard one. The worst one. It was after that one that I refused to go anymore, pleading with my dad to visit me in New York instead. It was junior year of college…

"I visited again junior year of college for Charlie and Sue's wedding" I sighed and looked away momentarily to gather my thoughts. Yes, I had seen him again and as the last time he was with another girl, but this time, he had been kissing her. I had completely shattered then. I was catatonic by the time I reached home, causing Charlie to send me home to New York early. Again. I took a deep breath and tightened my arms around Edward, as if to assure myself of his presence in my life now before I explained about the darkest moment in my life without him

"I went to a club with Alice and Rose the night after Charlie's wedding, we were staying for a few days while Charlie and Sue were heading out on their honeymoon. We had been there a while and I needed to go to the bathroom. I went alone as Ali and Rose were on the dance floor. I…I saw you as I came out of the bathroom. At first I considered stopping and saying hello, but you were…uh…you…you were busy" I felt the tears well as I recalled that moment. The pain and loss I felt came crashing down on me again. My body stiffened to ward of the emotions and Edward felt it and tightened his arms around me, pulling me closer

"I remember that night. Em had dragged me out and I got seriously drunk" his hoarse voice caused me to look up at him, he also had tears in his eyes. He knew what I was talking about. He brushed his thumb over my cheek. His eyes pleading with me to forgive him, I shook my head, dropped my eyes and continued

"I don't recall walking back to the bar area, I don't even remember Alice and Rose finding me or the ride home. I had shut down completely, gone catatonic. I don't remember anything after that point. Not Charlie finding me curled up on my bed, not the flights back home, nothing. I stayed like that for months. Alice told me afterwards that I moved, talked, ate, slept but I wasn't there. I believe the phrase she used was 'walking dead'. She let me be for a while, but she finally got fed up and sent me to a shrink" I paused to take a breath, still not looking at Edward. I knew this would be painful for him and I was right

"Oh god…" I heard him whisper, his voice thick with tears. I finally looked up and found his eyes closed, but the pain was clearly etched on his features. Tears were running unchecked down his cheeks. This time, I brushed my thumb across his face to wipe them away

"Hey, it's ok. I survived. I'm here now, you're here now. It's in the past" I whispered. He shook his head and slowly opened his eyes. His beautiful green orbs were now red rimmed and bloodshot. I smiled at him to show him that I was ok and I watched as he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He took a deep breath before he spoke

"I'm so sorry, Kitten. You should never have had to see that. I was…was in such a dark place myself back then. So angry. At everything and everyone" he paused and looked at me warily

"I suppose I should tell you the whole sordid tale of my past, huh?" he said, raising one eyebrow. I raised one in return. I was suddenly nervous. I couldn't speak so I simply nodded. Sure we had had our 'talk', but we had not discussed what we had done or where we had been, emotionally in the last eight years. It seemed that now was the time

"When you left, I shut down too. I never spoke your name; I left the room if you were brought up in conversation. I couldn't handle it. Soon everyone learned not to talk about you in front of me, lest I should walk away again or worse, lash out. I was angry, so angry. At you, at me, at everyone involved. I pushed everyone away in a twisted way of thinking that they would just hurt me too" he smiled ruefully at me

"At the spring formal, I took Tanya. I think I did it to piss our friends off more than anything. It worked. They were all shocked and annoyed at me, so much so that I could actually feel their anger roll off them. But still they didn't say anything. Well, Rose did. She had a few choice words for me, but I simply laughed and walked away. I turned my back and walked away from our friends" he paused as if to gather strength then continued

"I slept with Tanya that night. The first time. Not my most proudest moment, but then I wasn't thinking clearly" I sucked in a large breath. I had known this, but to actually hear it from him made it so real and it hurt to hear. He rubbed soothing circles up and down my back as if reacting to my distress subconsciously, but he didn't stop speaking

"A few days later, Ali laid into me in the cafeteria. Tanya and I…well…we had hooked up in my car, so we must have looked it when we walked into the lunch room. Alice stormed up to us and reamed into Tanya first. I told her to stop, so she turned on me. That was the first time anyone had said your name in front of me in months. She told me what happened the day you left. What Tanya had done and said. I was so angry that I could have hit her. That was the only time I actually contemplated hitting a woman" he chuckled darkly, I stayed silent. Although it hurt to hear all this from him, it was helping too

"I walked away from her, after telling her that I would never be hers. I kind of flew off the handles then. I drank heavily, I tried drugs, I fucked hard. Anything to stop the pain of losing you, but none of it helped. The pain was always there. Just before graduation my parents finally got fed up and sent me to a shrink too" he smirked at me then and I smiled back. My mind was going over what he told me, running a mile a minute and must have seen that on my face because he placed a reassuring kiss on my forehead before he continued

"Dr Regis was good. She helped me a lot. I let go some of the rage in me and calmed down a lot. But the rage was replaced with an emptiness that nothing filled. No drink, no drugs and no girl could fill it. I cleaned up, graduated and went to college, but I was a shell of my former self. I dated around some, but no one compared so it never went beyond the first or sometimes the second date. They were never enough" I had tears running down my cheeks as I listened to him. I had hurt him so badly. I had hurt us both, all because of one insignificant girl's twisted thoughts and words. I was brought out of my thoughts when I realised that Edward was still speaking

"I met Kate in one of my business classes and we got on great. We dated for about four months, but it never got serious. She knew about you. I told her and she became a good friend instead of a girlfriend" he stopped speaking and stared at me as if to gauge my reaction. I smiled at him reassuringly, urging him silently to continue. I should have known better. What he said next broke my heart

"Do you remember the plans we made for our 21st birthdays?" he asked. I nodded. We had always planned to go to Las Vegas and get drunk. Legally. We had planned to fly over, all six of us and stay in the Bellagio Hotel for each of our birthdays. My birthday was the last, after all the others. We planned to gamble and drink in an all night bender. Instead I had spent it drunk in my apartment off campus, drowning in my memories of him. I had almost died of alcohol poisoning that night. That and the two dozen pills I had taken in effort to stop the pain. It was lucky that Alice had come home when she had

"Do you know what I did on the night of my 21st?" I shook my head. He gazed at me for a moment longer before he dropped his eyes and whispered

"I got drunk and slit my wrist" I gasped, my hand coming up to cover my heart. I watched as he pulled off the Cullen Crest wristband he always wore to reveal a long scar across his right wrist. I traced the scar softly with my fingertips. I made my own admission then

"I got drunk and swallowed two dozen pills for my 21st" his head snapped up to meet my eyes. We stayed locked in each others eyes for a long while, reading each other's emotions and offering comfort to the other silently. Even after all these years, we could still hold a full blown conversation with our eyes. The captain's voice over the intercom broke our connection. We were being prepared for landing so I slid off of Edward's lap into my own seat and buckled up. We still had not spoken. Neither one of us looked at the other again as the plane landed. We were both lost in our thoughts.

As we stepped off the plane and out of the airport into the LA sunshine, Edward wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him. He held me for a long while, still not speaking. We stood there comforting each other with our presence. No words were needed. We said everything we needed to with our bodies. I could feel his love for me in each of his heartbeats. I could feel his sorrow for my pain in each breath he took and I'm sure he could feel mine in return. Maybe this is what had been holding us back from making love. We had been dating now for two months, but we had yet to make love. I had always felt as if we each were holding back. I was certain now that we had been.

Our discussion and admissions, though hard, had freed me in some way. I felt lighter for the first time in eight years. I could feel that Edward was the same. His body was more relaxed

"I love you, Kitten" he whispered. Finally breaking the silence

"I love you, Tiger" I replied with a smile

**EPOV**

As I held Bella in my arms under the warm LA sun, I felt freed. I felt light and I felt her love for me. Our conversation on the plane had been the hardest thing to have. But it was necessary too. In the two months that we had been dating, I had been holding back, we both had. The pain and hurt from our past was still there. I now felt that we had cleared the air in so many ways.

I knew I loved her, but I couldn't bring myself to _make_ love to her. Not while I still held some of the residual hurt and anger against her. My body wanted her in all ways possible, but my mind kept holding me back. Telling me to protect myself; to not get hurt again. After that talk, I felt my mind, body and soul had finally aligned. We had both gone through so much pain and suffering to get to where we are now. I was happy that I finally got to tell her everything. All the drinking, the drugs, the girls and my attempted suicide, all of it were out in the open. I was shocked and pained to hear all that she had gone through too. Though, in an odd way I was glad that we had gone through all of that. It led us to where we are now.

I felt Bella's love surround me and a revelled in it. It calmed me, grounded me and lightened me in more ways than one.

"C'mon, Tiger, Charlie's waiting on us for dinner" Bella whispered. I could hear the smile in her voice and it warmed my heart. She hadn't judged me on my past, she simply accepted it. I pulled back and released her from my arms and simply took her hand and led her to the rental counter, where we picked up the keys for our car.

20 minutes later we pulled up outside Chief Swan's two story detached house. It hadn't changed much in eight years. The porch swing was still in the same place. Bella and I had sat on that swing many a time and just talked about anything and everything. We had shared so many things on that swing. I had told her about my first crush in sophomore year. She had told me about her first crush on that same swing. We had talked about music, books, life and philosophy on that swing.

The white wood panelled front was still white. The windows still had the pale blue shutters, the window boxes full of colourful flowers, however, were new. I turned to Bella and pulled her hand up to my lips

"Ready, Kitten?" I brushed my lips across her knuckles and inhaled her ever present sweet scent, trying to calm my nerves. I knew the Chief had liked me back in school, but after all the trouble I had caused after Bella left, I wasn't so sure he still liked me and that thought made me nervous. Bella smiled up at me

"Ready, Tiger" I released her hand and got out, going round to her side to open her door. I helped her out of the car and stood for a moment just looking at her. She was still smiling up at me and I couldn't help my answering smile as I looked down at her. I saw her eyes flicker to something over my shoulder. I turned and found the Chief standing on the porch watching us, his arms folded over his chest. I gulped and started walking towards him, my hand still in Bella's. It was now or never, I guess.

"Hey Dad!" Bella released my hand to wrap her arms around her dad. I watched as the chief's face softened as he gazed down at his daughter, his love for his only child very evident

"Hey Kiddo! How was the trip?"

"It was ok. You know, the usual, there was a plane, there was bad food, an even worse in-flight film, a very bumpy landing, etc, etc" Charlie threw his head back and laughed

"Only you, Kid!" he released Bella and turned to me "Hello, Edward" he held out his hand. I took it and gave a firm but short shake

"Hello, Chief. How are you?"

"Eh, getting old" I shifted under his stare. It seemed as if he was judging whether I was high or not. I wasn't. I hadn't touched drugs since I got clean six years ago, but that didn't mean that the chief hadn't forgotten all the times he caught me at my worst. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Bella looking back and forth between us. She stepped forward and placed a hand on her dad's arm

"Is Sue inside, dad? Shall we head in?" she said softly. Charlie finally looked away from me down to her and nodded. We followed him in. I sighed quietly. I knew there would be a conversation coming soon and I wasn't so sure I wanted to have it yet. I knew it needed to be had, but that didn't mean I had to like the idea of having it, did it?

Sue was in the kitchen when we walked in. She came out, wiping her hands on a dish towel on her shoulder. Bella ran into her embrace and both women were squealing like young school girls. I watched Bella's face lit up with excitement and smiled. She looked absolutely beautiful on any normal occasion, but when she looked like that, she looked positively like an angel. My angel. I turned as I felt a hand on my shoulder. The chief nodded towards the living room. I followed him in and sat opposite him. I waited for him to speak and I didn't have to wait for long

"So…You and Bella?" I glanced up and found the chief watching me intently. I nodded

"Yes, sir"

"How long?"

"Nearly two months now, sir"

"Hmm…" that was all he said. The silence fell between us again. It was quiet except for the TV playing in the background.

"Edward?" I looked back at the chief

"Yes, chief?"

"I have to ask…are you…are you still using?" I raised my eyebrow in surprise. Surprised that he had come right out and asked. But then the chief never was one to mince words. I shook my head

"No, sir. I've been clean for six years now" he nodded towards the kitchen

"And does Bella know about your past habits?"

"Yes, sir. I told her on the plane. We had a very long conversation. Though I didn't go into details, I did tell her the gist of it" he nodded again

"I think maybe you should tell her the full extent, Edward. Don't you think she has a right to know?" I leaned back into the sofa and sighed, running my hand through my hair

"Yes, she does. But I don't want to hurt her anymore than I already have. I can't see her cry anymore" I said softly. I kept my eyes on the TV

"You really love her, don't you?" I nodded. I finally looked from the TV to Charlie

"Yes sir, I do. She is my everything. She is my life, my air, my heart. It kills me to see her cry and she has cried so much because of me already and I don't know if I can do that to her anymore" the chief gazed at me for a few moments, not speaking. I held his gaze, refusing to look away. I don't know what he was looking for, but he must have found it because after what seemed like hours he finally nodded and turned back to the TV.

Charlie and I sat in silence, watching TV until Sue and Bella walked in, arm in arm, chatting away happily. I looked up and was, once again struck by the pure beauty radiating from my Bella. She glanced my way and smiled wide. She released Sue's arm and made her way towards me. Sitting next to me on the couch, taking my hand in hers

"Sue, how rude of me. This is Edward Cullen, my boyfriend. Edward, this is Sue" I stood up and shook Sue's hand

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am" Sue blushed

"Wow, Bells, you were right, he is a gentleman!" I looked at Bella and raised an eyebrow, wondering when she had spoken about me to Sue. Bella blushed beautifully and looked away. I chuckled under my breath

"Well, manners are very important to my mother and she never let my brother and I forget it" I said to Sue

"In that case, you are definitely a credit to your mother" Sue replied. Sue then turned to Charlie

"Charlie, dinner's on. Will you not invite our guest to the table?" Charlie stood up. I was expecting him to simply ask me to join him, but I was surprised when he spoke

"Sue, darling, I have known Edward since he was a child. He is no more a guest here than Bella is. He has eaten here more times than I care to count, so no, I won't invite our guest to dinner, however, I will invite the boy I knew to come and eat" there was a beat of silence, this was the most I had ever heard Charlie speak. All of a sudden Bella flew into her father's arms

"Thank you, Daddy" I heard her whisper. The chief nodded, but kept his eyes on me. His brown eyes conveying what his mouth could not say. 'I forgive you your past indiscretions, but don't hurt my girl'. I nodded in acknowledgment.

After dinner, Charlie and I were sat on the porch swing as the girls were inside clearing up

"So, Edward, what do you do now?"

"Jasper and I own our own company. Architecture"

"So you did finish school? Where did you go?"

"Dartmouth. Yes, I finished. Second in my class actually"

"Well done, son. I'm glad things worked out for you" I nodded in thanks for his praise. I hadn't realised until now how much it actually meant to me

"Did Bella tell you about the time she came back here for my wedding to Sue?" I stiffened, the pain breaking free again at the memory of what Bella had told me on the plane

"Yes, sir, she did" I said shortly, trying to control my breathing and hold in the pain

"And? Did she tell you what happened after?" I nodded again

"Did she tell you about her 21st birthday?" I nodded again, the pain now positively lashing at me, making my breathing ragged. I clutched my chest in hopes of stopping the pain from spreading. Charlie laid his hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture

"It's ok, son. It was her choice and not your fault. I don't blame you. You weren't in the right frame of mind either" I took deep breaths to calm myself, using the techniques Dr Regis had taught me. How he had known exactly what I was feeling was a mystery

"Did my family ever tell you about my 21st birthday?" I asked, my breathing calming slightly. Charlie shook his head

"I was in such a dark place back then. All those plans we had made, all those promises, lost because of one mistake, one person's screwed perspective of me and our relationship. I had tried everything to make the pain of losing her go away. I didn't know at the time that I felt so much pain because I loved her, but feel it I did. It felt as if someone had taken my heart and ripped it clean out of my chest" I stared out into the yard as I spoke, the memories of the past washing through me

"So what happened on your 21st birthday?" I turned and looked Charlie in the eye

"I got drunk and slit my wrist" I stated simply, my voice emotionless. I watched as a slew of emotions crossed Charlie's face. Anger, sadness, fear, more anger, pain, sympathy and then finally acceptance. It all flashed across his face in mere seconds

"You and Bella are alike in so many ways, it's frightening. It's no wonder you two are so good together" he smiled slightly at me, I tried to smile back, though it probably looked more like a grimace

"Emmett found me. He took me to hospital and then hardly let me out of his sights for months afterwards" I laughed darkly "in fact; he hasn't let me out of his sights for eight years now. He really is his brother's keeper"

"That must have been hard for him to see" Charlie stated matter of factly, I nodded

"It was. He went to a psychiatrist for a while afterwards too. He had nightmares for years" I heard two gasps behind me and turned to find Bella and Sue standing in the doorway with their hands over their mouths. Both had identical expressions on their face of stunned disbelief. I stood up and wrapped my arms around Bella, rocking her slightly

"He-he never said anything. I never knew what he went through. Oh god, what did I do?" her voice rose in slight panic with each word. I pulled back slightly and saw tears in her eyes. I shook my head

"He's ok now. I'm ok now, baby. _We're_ ok" I gently wiped her cheeks and cupped her face in my hands. Bella looked up at me and I saw pure love shining in her eyes. I leaned down and brushed her lips with my own. I felt her smile against my lips and I smiled in response. I would have deepened the kiss but I heard a throat clear behind me and realised that Charlie and Sue were still there. I stepped back, unwrapping my arms, but keeping one arm around her waist

"Wow. No one has ever been able to calm her so quickly, not even her dear old dad here!" Sue exclaimed, looking shocked. I started to speak, but Charlie beat me to it

"I never could, Sue. I never could. It was always Edward; he was the only one who could ever calm her down and make her smile. Even back in school" Charlie smiled softly first at his daughter and then at me. He nodded at me and walked inside. I understood his nod. It was the nod of a father giving his approval to a man who was taking his daughter from him. It was the nod of the Police Chief; giving the boy he once knew forgiveness for his past indiscretions. It was the nod of a father to the man he now took as his son. It was that one nod that filled me with pride and peace.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**BPOV**

I had called this…meeting, for lack of a better word, purely for my own peace of mind. As I made my way into the café not far from my office, I ran through my mind on what I wanted to say. I was nervous beyond belief, but I needed to do this. I knew I needed to do this, for the sake of my own sanity.

"Bella!" I turned and made my way to the table. I was clenching and unclenching my fingers in hopes of releasing the nervous energy

"Hey Bells" Emmett stood up and wrapped his arms around me in one of his signature bear hugs

"Hey, Em. How are you, Big Bear?" I said, hoping Emmett didn't notice my voice shake with nerves. No such luck. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me

"Bella, what's wrong?" I sighed and looked down at my hands

"You're probably wondering why I called and asked for this meeting, right?" I asked, avoiding his question

"Yeah, I am. So are you gonna tell me or am I gonna have to take a stab in the dark and guess?" I took a deep breath and looked up to meet his eyes. They were soft and full of concern, despite his teasing words

"I wanted…no, I _needed_ to say sorry to you" Emmett looked taken aback, but I rushed on before he could speak and I lost my nerve

"Edward told me a few things about himself and his life from when I was I gone and one thing more than others made me realise how wrong I was and how hard it was for you and for that I'm so so sorry, Em. I never meant for it to be that bad. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time and it has become painfully obvious that it was so far from right" I wiped away the tears that had started to fall. Emmett took my right hand in his large ones

"Bella, I know all that. I don't blame you, I never have. As far as I am concerned the blame lies with one person and one person only. Tanya Denali. It was her stupid, blurred vision of herself and her 'relationship' with Edward that caused all of this. Her jealousy is not your problem, any more than it is Edward's or mine or any of ours. Baby Girl, I have always considered you my little sister and I love you. it hurt so much to watch you hurt all these years" his voice conveyed his sincerity and I believed what he was saying to be true, but the guilt and pain I felt over Edward's attempted suicide and Emmett's involvement made me shake my head

"I'm sorry for what you went through on Edward's 21st" I whispered. I watched as a range of emotions crossed his features, pain, sadness, anger, guilt and pain again. His grip on my hand tightened as he fought to control these emotions stemming from the memories of that night, I'm sure

"I'm sorry too. I should have been able to see how much pain he was really in. I should have been there to stop him" his voice was thick with emotion. It may be masochistic of me, but I wanted to hear his take on that night

"Will you tell me about it, please?" his head snapped up and his eyes locked with mine "I mean, if it's too hard then don't worry about it, but I just…I just wanted to hear your side. I know what he went through and if you speak to Alice, she will probably understand what you went through too. I want to move past all this, but I need to know exactly what it is that I'm moving past before I do" I spoke quietly, watching his every emotion, every movement. I hoped that he was not angry at me for asking for this

"What do you mean, Alice would understand what I went through?" his eyes narrowed in suspicion for a moment before they widened in understanding

"Bella! Did you…did you try…did you attempt to take your own life too?" I nodded and lowered my eyes

"On my 21st birthday" I whispered. Emmett started to shake his head and chuckle darkly

"Man, you and Edward really are a pair, aren't you?" I replied with a small smile. Emmett took a deep breath and started with his memories

"First off, I want you to understand that I am not telling you all this to hurt you. You need to let that go and just listen. Don't feel guilty, don't feel ashamed, just listen to it all" he gave me a stern look and I nodded silently in understanding

"When you left, Edward simply shut down. The day you left he collapsed after I told him. He whispered one word – 'Kitten'. After that he didn't say your name, he didn't speak of you, he refused to be around us longer than necessary because we reminded him of you and because we sometime let slip your name. When that happened he would either walk away or lash out and tell us not to say your name in front of him. He was so quiet. The look in his eyes frightened me the most. It was like a part of him went missing. They were simply empty. Dead. It took him a few months, but he finally got angry. I was relieved at first. At least it was better than the zombie stage. I quickly learned that the anger was no better. He drank. A lot. It wasn't until after his prom that I found out about the girls and the drugs" Emmett paused and looked at me to see if I would react. I didn't. I had already heard of this from Edward. Emmett looked into my eyes for a long moment then continued

"I came home from College early one weekend and found him in his room. It was a mess. Needles and foil paper littered the floor. He was sitting on the floor at the end of his bed, kissing some girl. I don't think he even knew her name"

**EmPOV – **_**Seven Years Ago; Just before Edward's Graduation**_

The sight before me defied logic. This wasn't my brother. Not my baby brother, the good one. The one who was a straight A student, the golden child who did everything right.

No, this young man before me was not the Edward I knew and loved. I didn't know who he was. I stared at the sight before me, trying to comprehend what I was seeing. The floor around the couple was littered with syringes, foil paper and what looked like an assortment of Class A drugs. Meth, Cocaine, Heroine and Marijuana. I charged into the room and ripped the girl off of my brother

"What the fuck, Edward?" I screamed "Are you insane? Are you trying to kill yourself? And who the fuck is this?" I ranted and raved for a full five minutes about the effects of drugs and how Mom and Dad would be so disappointed. In the entire time I vented, Edward simply stared up at me with the same dead look in his eyes that I now expected to see and a lazy smile on his lips. He was as high as a kite. I heard a throat clear behind me and I whirled to face the girl

"I…uh…I think I'm gonna go now. Call me later Ed?" she slurred.

"He will do no such thing, now, get out" I snarled as Edward rose unsteadily to his feet beside me and went to her

"Sure thing, sexy" his words were also slurred. I wondered how long he had been doing drugs. How had I missed this? Just because I was away living in dorms didn't mean I had missed the memo on when my brother turned into a junkie, did it? I felt guilt taking over inside me.

Over the next few days whilst I was home I watched Edward closely. He seemed to keep it together at school and in front of mom and dad, but at night I heard him sneak away for his fix. I found him each night sprawled out on his bed, after he came back smelling of a cocktail of alcohol, drugs and sex. I needed to do something. He was on a sure path to self destruct and I had front row seats to watch it happen.

I finally came to a decision on my third night at home. I was going to have to speak to my parents and clue them in on the situation. So that night, I waited until after Edward had snuck out for the night and knocked on my parent's bedroom door. Dad opened it, looking surprised to see me there, but invited me in nonetheless. I sat on the end of their bed and put my head in my hands, trying to build up the courage to tell me one of the worst things any parent would want to hear. I was still trying to decide how to start when I felt my dad's hand on my shoulder

"Son, what's wrong?" I looked up into my dad's concerned face and decided to just bite the bullet

"It's about Edward" dad moved around me to sit next to me, mum sat on the other side

"What about him? Is he ok?" mum asked, worried. I shook my head

"No, he's not, mom. I have some real bad news" mum went to get up and move towards the door, no doubt going to check on him, but I held her hand and pulled her back down next to me gently

"He's not in his room" I felt dad stiffen next to me

"Where is he then? And what do you mean he is not in his room? It's after ten at night!" mom's voice rose in panic and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. I hated having to do this to her. To them. But it needed to be done.

I took a deep breath and launched into the explanation of what I had come across the night I came home and about how worried I was about him. I explained how he seemed to simply shut down after Bella left and how I had been watching him struggle to open up again. For the most part they listened without interrupting; only asking questions for clarification now and again.

Finally, after what seemed like hours I fell silent, having given all the information I knew. They were both quiet, except for mom's silent sobs. Even dad had a few tears in his eyes, as did I.

"Son, I'm glad you came to us with this and I think you're a right, he does need professional help and I am going to see he gets it" dad clapped me on the shoulder. I left for my own room then. I was headed back to college the next day and I hoped and prayed with all my might that Edward would be ok while I was gone.

I found out a few days later that mom and dad had talked with Edward and he had agreed to professional help, after a heap of arguing. They sent him a clinic in Beverley Hills. He was to stay there for three months and would get out just days before graduation. He had enough credits to graduate so that would not be an issue.

I continued to talk to him and watch over him over the years, but the dead look in his eyes never faded. He moved through life in a daze and once again I questioned if he actually knew that the reason he missed Bella so much was because he was in fact in love with her. I never voiced my opinion. However whenever I spoke to Bella, she sounded the same as Edward. Broken, empty, dead. It scared me.

The stress of school and worrying about Edward became too much. Rose and I broke up after we had a long discussion about it all. Rose was upset and angry but understood my need to stay close for my brother and family. She moved to the East coast in her sophomore year, to be closer to Jasper, Bella and Alice. After our discussion, we decided to separate to watch over them. Rose would watch over Bella and I would watch over Edward. Maybe we would meet again in a few years. Who knew? But hope I did, with all my might. I loved her with everything in me, but for me, my brother came first and foremost.

_**Four Years Ago; Edward's 21**__**st**__** Birthday Night**_

I whistled as I walked into the apartment I shared with my baby brother. The sale of the restaurant went well and the renovations were due to start next week. Edward and I had just purchased an Old Italian restaurant in downtown New York. We had moved here a few months ago after I finished college. Edward was at Dartmouth so technically I lived here alone, though he came down every other weekend.

Edward and Jasper roomed together on campus. Both were taking courses in Business, Finance and Architecture, with their majors being Architecture and minors being Business and Finance. They planned on opening up their own business when they graduated next year. I had just graduated from UCLA with a degree in Business Management. Mom and Dad had moved into the suburbs of Manhattan. Dad had gotten a great offer at one of the clinics there for Chief Surgeon.

Alice and Jasper were still together and I had not seen Rose since our sophomore year. I spoke to Bella about once a week and since moving here I had seen her a few times. We had a standing agreement to meet up for dinner, lunch or simply drink every other week. Edward did not know that she was in the same city as me and I had no intention of telling him. Though the dead look had not faded, he was living a little more each day. He was not the same Edward I had grown up with. He was quieter, more reserved. He kept to himself a lot and did not interact much with his peers. I figured it was because he was afraid of getting hurt again. I sure as hell knew he wouldn't survive another round of pain like this one. The last four years have been a hard struggle to bring him to this level. I would not relish seeing him fade back to what he was before. At least now, he smiled and laughed on the odd occasion! I sure as hell did not want to watch him fall back into drugs again. Once in a lifetime was enough for that, thanks.

Sometimes I though maybe it would be easier for me to just tell him where Bella was and let them work things out. He had never been the same after she left. He still seemed as if half of him was missing and the pain and anger I sometimes saw in his eyes scared the shit out of me. The same went for Bella too. She had the same dead look in her eyes and though she tried to smile and hide it, I knew her too well. She refused to speak about him as much as he refused to speak about her. It was as frustrating as hell, but what could I do. I had promises to keep.

I unlocked the apartment door. Edward was here this weekend and we were meant to be going out tonight. The original plans we made in school for our 21st birthdays no longer applied. Edward didn't bring up Vegas or the Bellagio and neither did I. The boy had just gotten some of his spark back; I sure as hell was not going to be the one to extinguish it!

The apartment was dark when I came in, which I found odd as I knew that Edward was already here. I glanced at the clock on the living room wall as I passed. Seven pm. hmm…where the hell could he be? I shrugged, figuring he had already left with Jasper for the bar. It was a bit early so I figured I had some time to shower and change before I could go and meet up with them.

I made my way into the kitchen and froze. Something seemed off. I gazed around, trying to decipher what the missing thing was. Three things happened simultaneously. First my cell rang just as I spotted a piece of paper tacked to the fridge, second, I heard moaning coming from the direction of the bedrooms and third (and this one sent a cold shiver of fear down my spine) I spotted a knife missing from the knife rack. I turned and ran towards the bedrooms as I flipped open my cell and answered

"Hello?"

"Em? Where the hell are you two? I'm at the bar waiting for you!" I opened the first bedroom and found it empty and continued to move onto the second room

"Jazz, what do you mean 'you two'? Is Edward not with you?" I was near panic now, but tried to hide it. I opened the second bedroom only to find it empty too. This was Edward's room, so he should have been in here

"No, Em. I'm alone. I thought Edward was coming with you? That's what he told me" ok, now I was in full blown panic attack. I whirled around to head back out of the room but stopped as I heard another moan coming from the en suite bathroom

"Jazz, hang on, I think Edward's here. He's in the-" I didn't get anything else out as I burst into the bathroom. The sight before me froze me to the spot. Edward was on the floor of his en suite bathroom, two empty bottles of JD on his right. It was what was in his left hand that stopped me cold. In his left hand was the missing knife, covered in blood. His blood. My eyes raked over him and came to rest on his right wrist where there was a long gash with blood pouring from it. I don't know how long I stared, but I was brought out of my stupor by the shouting in my ear. Jasper was still on the phone

"Em! Emmett! Did you find him? Hello?"

"Jazz, can you come here, please? I need you" I whispered, still frozen

"What? Why?" I was about to reply when I heard another moan from Edward and a whisper that sprung me into action. He whispered two words

"Goodbye, Kitten" I flung myself down onto the floor beside him, shaking him, screaming his name and shouting for him to wake up. I pulled the phone back to my ear

"Jazz! Call the ambulance! He's slit his wrist! Please! Hurry! Oh God! Edward! Please! No!" I knew I wasn't making sense, but I didn't care. This was my baby brother, I couldn't lose him.

I don't know how long after I found him that the ambulance arrived, but at some point I found myself sitting in the waiting room of Sacred Heart Hospital, staring at the dried blood on my hands. My brother's blood

"Emmett!" I looked up to find both my parents running towards me. I rose from my seat and simply stood there staring at them as they wrapped their arms around me

"Son, are you ok?" I heard my father ask. I raised my hands, palms up to show them the dried blood

"Blood. It's his, Edward's blood…on my hands. He nearly died and it's entirely my fault. He…he nearly died, dad and I couldn't do anything" as I spoke the sobs ripped from my chest. I felt my father wrap his arms around me. He held me as I sobbed into his shoulder. The images of Edward on the floor of his bathroom, lying in the pool of his own blood kept flashing through my mind repeatedly.

**BPOV – **_**Present Day**_

I couldn't help but sob as Emmett finished his story. He had tears streaming down his face too

"It took me a long time to get over the nightmares. I saw a shrink twice a week for nearly two years after and I have never let him out of my sight unless I can't help it. We came to an agreement to speak to one another at least once a day; just to check in and so far he has kept up with that. I know Dr Regis helped him in the beginning, but she's back in LA, so we both use the same shrink here. Dr Johan. He's pretty good. I know Edward still speaks to him now and again. I still see him when the nightmares come back, but other than that, we're doing ok now" I looked up to find Emmett chewing on his bottom lip as if he had something else to say, but didn't know how. I placed my hand on top of his and waited for him to look at me

"What is it, Em?" I asked gently, wiping away my tears

"He-he left you a note that night" I watched as he pulled his wallet out of his pocket and reached in and retrieved a folded bit of yellowed paper. He sat in on the table in between us

"I saved it because I somehow knew you would need to read it one day. It seems that day has come. I have to go now, I've got a meeting with a contractor, but I'll leave it with you. It is yours after all" he stood and pulled me up with him and into another bear hug

"He's ok now, B. don't let the past keep you from the future, Baby Girl" I nodded into his chest. He released me and I watched as he made his way out of the café. I sat back down and stared at the folded note on the table, debating whether I wanted to read it or not. I sighed and then picked it up. I would read it, but not here.

I was glad I had the day free today as I'm pretty sure I would not be able to work in the office after that meeting. I unlocked my front door and stepped into my apartment. Edward was in meetings until 6pm and it was only 4pm now. I placed my keys on the table by my door and walked into the living room. I pulled out the note and gazed at it for a moment longer before I opened it. I took a deep breath before I started to read. I looked over it in whole before focusing on the words. Some of the words had tear drop splashes across them and I wondered if they were Emmett's or Edward's. I finally focused on the words and started reading

_My Dearest Kitten_

_I don't know if you will ever read this, but if you do I hope you now know the truth of what happened between Tanya and me. _

_I only want to say that I am so very sorry. I'm sorry that you didn't trust me and our friendship enough to stay. I'm sorry that you didn't find it in your heart to forgive me enough to say goodbye and I'm sorry that you even had to leave in the first place._

_I have not been the best guy there is in these last few years. I'm not the Edward you once knew and I don't know if I can be him again. I want to, oh so badly, but I'm not sure I can and for that I'm sorry too._

_Today is my 21__st__ birthday and today is the day I die. Well, only in body, really. My mind and heart died the day you left so all that is left is to get rid of the body too. Wish me luck! Do you remember our plans for our 21__st__ birthdays? Ha! So many childish plans made and so many broken. But you know what? This is one plan that hurt the most to break. So guess what? I thought it would be fun to get drunk anyway! Hell, I've been doing it for so long already, I might as well do it right this time!_

_Anyway, I just wanted to say goodbye. I don't think I could do what you did and leave without at least that. So Goodbye, Kitten. I really do hope that you have a great life, meet a great guy and have great kids._

_Look after Em for me; this will be hard on him. He's been my friend for so long and my brother even longer. He really has been a good brother, even if he does get on my last nerve sometimes! Tell him that I will always love him and thank him for always being there for me._

_So…this is it…Thanks for being my friend, Kitten. I miss you everyday._

_I love you!_

_Yours_

_Edward (Tiger)_

I read and re-read the letter several times, the tears flowing freely down my face. The Edward in this letter sounded so angry, so confused and so…so empty. No, this wasn't my Edward. My head snapped up as I heard a throat clear in the doorway. There stood my Edward, gazing at me cautiously

"Hey Kitten, what are you up to?" I wiped away the lingering tears and smiled up at him, gesturing to join me on the couch. He walked over slowly, taking in my expression and the tear tracks on my cheeks

"Have you been crying?" I nodded

"Why, Baby?" he asked. I said nothing, but held up his note. I watched as he took it from hands and started to read it. I watched as his eyes widened as he read and snap back to meet my steady gaze

"Where did you get this?" he whispered

"Emmett. I met him for coffee today" his eyebrows shot up to his hairline in surprise

"And he just gave this to you?" he demanded

"Not exactly" I turned so that I facing him and took one of his hands in mine

"I asked him to tell me about his experience of your 21st and I wanted to apologise to him for putting him in that position"

"Bella, look at me" he tilted my face up by using his finger under my chin

"It's not your fault, Kitten. It never was. It was my decision to do that, not yours"

"But don't you see, Edward! If I hadn't left, you wouldn't have been in that state in the first place and Emmett would not have had to go through all of that!" Edward shook his head and leaned forward to rest his forehead on mine

"I could quite literally kill Tanya for doing this to us. I blame her, not you. Never you" he said softly. I sighed and wrapped my arms around his waist; he in turn wrapped his around mine. We sat like that for a long while. It wasn't until his stomach grumbled that I pulled back and laughed

"Hungry are we?" he laughed and nodded. I was glad for lightening of the moment

"How about we got out for dinner? I'm quite fancying Mexican" he said. I nodded eagerly and got up to get ready.

Half an hour later we left my apartment hand in hand. Edward whistled for a cab and lo and behold two pulled up. We laughed and got into the first one. We chatted the whole way downtown to El Paso's. As always it was easy and relaxed between us.

The cab deposited us outside the restaurant. Edward paid the cabbie and slide out before helping me out after. As always, the gentleman, Edward opened the door for me and placed his hand on my mower back to guide me in. we stopped before the hostess, who, I noted with anger, practically eye-fucked Edward in front of me. She swept her eyes up and down his body before flashing a smile at him, which I think she hoped, would be sexy and greeted us. I heard Edward snort softly beside me and wrap his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to his body. I smiled in fake sweetness at the bimbo

"Hi, Can we have a table for two, please?" I could feel, rather than hear, Edward chuckling silently beside me. The hostess blinked and focused her glare on me. I say glare because that's exactly what it was. We followed the slu-I mean hostess to a table towards the back and sat. She left us with a couple of menus but not before announcing that our server would be with us shortly and a wink at Edward. I nearly growled at the bitch when she did that. Edward was laughing silently

"What?" I snapped at him

"I'm sorry, Kitten, I'm not laughing at you, I'm laughing with you" he said still chuckling. This time I did growl

"Do you _see_ me laughing?" he stopped and stared at me for a moment, his green eyes darkening

"Did you just growl at me?" I nodded and blushed. He reached over and grabbed my hand

"That was the sexiest fucking thing I have ever heard" he stated, his so voice low and husky that it sent a shiver of pleasure through my body down to my private parts. I squirmed in my seat to stave off the sudden arousal. We had yet to have sex and Edward refused for it to be 'a quick fuck'. I'm not sure what that meant, but I was becoming increasingly frustrated and some small part of me was starting to wonder if he really wanted me in that way. We had not discussed it in any way since his birthday, but I knew that after our talk on the plane, I was beyond ready to express my love for him in a more physical way. I just wasn't sure if he felt the same and I was too scared to ask.

"Good evening, my name is Rachelle and I'll be your server tonight" I looked up and almost rolled my eyes. The server was staring straight at Edward as she spoke about the specials, completely ignoring me. Yes, she was also eye-fucking him. I sighed. I suppose I would have to get used to this. My man was exceptionally beautiful after all.

Thankfully she left after we ordered our drinks and main. A Chicken Burrito for me and a Steak Taco for Edward.

We chatted lightly as we ate. Making plans for the weekend. We were supposed to go over to the Cullen's and stay the night. They were hosting a BBQ for some of Carlisle's friends from the clinic and had invited all six of us to join them and spend the night. I was quite looking forward to it and I knew Edward was too.

We had just finished our food when my cell rang; I dug it out of my purse and shot Edward an apologetic look

"Hello?"

"You will pay, bitch" I heard Jacob rasp, I froze and shot Edward a panicked look. He immediately held out his hand for my phone

"Hello? Who is this?" Edward demanded

"Who the hell do you think you are? Leave my girlfriend alone, Jacob!"

"Yes, I said girlfriend!" I could only hear Edward's side of the conversation, but I could tell that whatever Jacob was saying was not pleasant and was doing nothing to calm the fury on Edward's face. I placed my hand over his and shook my head, pleading with my eyes for him to simply hang up. He did, but put in a parting shot first

"Listen, Ass, she is no longer your fiancé, she is my girlfriend, nor is she a possession you claim to own, but I will say this and I will only say it once, so listen carefully. She is mine. She has _always_ been mine. She may have loved you once, but no longer. You are scaring her and if you ever, _EVER_, lay one finger in harm on her, I will hunt you down and end you. Understand, mutt?" with that he snapped the phone closed and handed it back to me. I sat stunned. I mean, Jacob had said the same words to me once, he had told me that I was his, and I had hated that thought. But when Edward said it, I felt a thrill of pure pleasure shoot through me. Edward stood and held out his hand for me. I looked up into his eyes, which were soft, but the clench in his jaw told me he was anything but relaxed.

We walked out of the restaurant hand in hand. I felt bad that our good mood had been ruined and to tell the truth, I was angry at Jacob for ruining it. I never should have answered the phone in the first place.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**EPOV**

To say that I was worried for Bella safety was an understatement. Jacob Black was bad news and I had a horrible feeling that no matter what I had said last night would not make an ounce of difference to his choices. He would not leave Bella alone, I knew that, but how do I make Bella understand that? How could I ensure her safety? I had more questions than I did answers and it was driving me insane!

**Flashback**

"_Hello? Who is this?" I knew who it was from the look of pure terror in Bella's eyes, but I asked anyway_

"_This is Bella's fiancée, who the hell is this? Oh wait, this is Edward right? How dare you take my fiancée out to dinner, you bastard?" he sneered_

"_Who the hell do you think you are? Leave my girlfriend alone, Jacob!"_

"_What? Did you just say girlfriend? What the fuck!" he bellowed down the phone at me. I glanced sideways at Bella to ensure that she was ok and saw that she was watching me wide eyed_

"_Yes, I said girlfriend!" I snapped back, I was quickly losing my cool and I didn't want to do that in front of Bella_

"_Listen, you son of a bitch! Bella is _MY_ fiancé, she is _Mine_! You hear me, pussy! I don't need your advice on when to leave her alone and when not to! She is mine to do with as I please, understand, fucker?" _

_I felt the fury boiling up inside me. How dare he! I almost lost my cool, until I felt Bella's small warm hand on my own, I looked up at her and saw her shake her head as if to say 'let it go, Tiger'. I did, for now. But I had to make one thing clear before I did_

"_Listen, Ass, she is no longer your fiancé, she is my girlfriend, nor is she a possession you claim to own, but I will say this and I will only say it once, so listen carefully. She is mine. She has _always _been mine. She may have loved you once, but no longer. You are scaring her and if you ever, EVER, lay one finger in harm on her, I will hunt you down and end you. Understand, mutt?"_

_The bastard had better heed my warning_

**End Flashback**

I sighed as I pushed through the glass door of my office building. Lauren was at her usual post, smiling brightly at me. I didn't have it in me to deal with her this morning so I simply nodded and went to pass her. I should have known she wouldn't make it easy on me

"Good Morning, Edward!" I sighed again and ran my hand through my hair as I turned to face her

"Good Morning, Lauren and it's Mr Cullen to you, please" she giggled in what I presume was a flirtious manner. She didn't pull it off

"Sure thing _Mr Cullen_. Though why you keep denying your attraction is beyond me, but whatever" my eyes widened in surprise. Did she seriously just say that? I opened my mouth to respond but just like last time, I was interrupted

"Lauren, when will you learn that when a man says no the first time, it usually means no every time?" I turned and saw Bella standing just inside the doorway, with the door open and one hand on the handle, her briefcase in the other. I couldn't help but stare at her. She looked positively sinful in her knee length black pinstripe flared skirt, white fitted blouse and a matching pinstripe jacket which came to her waist. That wasn't the best part. Oh no, the best part were her peep toe shiny black 'fuck me' pumps. I felt all the blood in my body rush downwards as my eyes gazed at her from head to toe. I must have let out the groan that was building in my chest because as I looked further up I found Bella watching me with amusement in her eyes. I smiled sheepishly at her

"See something you like, Tiger?" now, the giggle that escaped _her_ full, pouty lips was sexy and it turned me on to no end. I crossed the foyer in three long strides and pulled her into my arms

"No, I see something I _love_, Kitten" I bent lower and brushed my lips across hers, once, twice, three times. I was just moving in for a deeper kiss when the most annoying voice interrupted me from behind

"Hey! This is a place of business, you know! Be professional" I let out a small growl of annoyance and turned to face Lauren

"Lauren, in case you have forgotten; this is _my_ place of business. I own the company and as such, if I wish to kiss my girlfriend anywhere in this building, I have every right to!" I snapped. I felt Bella tighten her arms around my mid section in reassurance

"I understand that _Mr Cullen_, but maybe _she_ doesn't, I mean, why else would she be here at 7.30am, looking like that? Booty Call?" Bella stiffened in my arms, as did I. She did not just speak about my Bella like that, did she? This time the growl that left my lips was not low and nor was it small. It was a full out 'I'm warning you to back the fuck off' growl. I watched as Lauren's eyes widened and fear flashed across them

"Lauren, I am going to say this once and once only. What I do in this building, which, by the way, I own, is no one's business but mine and Bella's. She is my girlfriend and has every right to be here at any time she wishes to do so. Whether that is at 7.30am or at 9pm. Whether it is for a 'booty call' or simply for meeting me for lunch. It. Is. Her. Right. Neither she, nor I have to answer to you. You are forgetting your place in the ranks of this company and I suggest you take the rest of the day off, unpaid, to reflect and understand. Am I clear?" my voice was low and calm, but the only thing that belied the rage flowing through me was the clench in my jaw, which resulted in me speaking through my teeth. I kept a steady gaze on Lauren and my arm around Bella's waist.

Lauren nodded, her eyes still wide and fear still residing in them

"Good, I will send Jane down to relieve you, and then you are free to go. Please do not return until tomorrow morning and I really hope for your sake that you keep in mind in future that I will not tolerate _anyone _speaking to Bella in the manner that you did just now. You need to understand that _you_ are expendable, replaceable, _she_, however, is not" with that said, I grabbed Bella's hand, released her waist and led her to the elevators. Bella had not said a word since Lauren's outburst and I was getting upset that she was hurt by it. However when I stepped into the elevator and turned Bella to face me I saw a wide smile on her beautiful face. I smiled back at her and pulled her into my arms again, resting my forehead on hers as I looked into her molten chocolate pools

"I love you, Tiger. Thank you" she whispered

"I love you too; Kitten and you have no need to thank me. I meant every word" she closed the gap between us and pressed her soft lips to mine. Like every other time we kissed, I saw stars and fireworks flash behind my closed lids. I sighed into her mouth and she took the opportunity to slip her tongue into my mouth. She caressed my tongue slowly, languidly. I, in turn, licked her bottom lip and nibbled on it with my teeth causing her to let out a soft moan in to my mouth. I couldn't help but groan back. The feelings she ignited in me were both pleasurable and torturous.

We were so lost in each other that we didn't hear the elevator ding and the doors open. It wasn't until we heard a throat clear and a loud 'Ahem' did we break apart. I turned to see Jasper standing just outside the open elevator, grinning like a Cheshire cat

"Well, Good morning to you both" he said cheerily

"Morning Jazz" Bella said, blushing

"Morning, Jazz. What's up? Heading out somewhere?" I replied. Jasper shook his head

"Nah, I was just heading down to the reception to see where our lawyer was. He's meant to be dropping off some papers for us to sign regarding the Fuller's Building"

"Oh! Sorry, Jazz, I got held up by your wonderful receptionist downstairs" Bella suddenly released me and pulled her briefcase up to show Jasper. I looked at her confused

"Lauren causing problems?"

"Wait. You're the lawyer?" Jasper and I both spoke at the same time, causing Bella to let out a small chuckle

"Jazz, yes, in answer to your question and Tiger, no, I offered to drop off the papers for David as I have a meeting nearby. It saved him a trip"

"Oh, and here I thought you were simply here to see me" I pouted and gave her the puppy dog look that I knew she couldn't resist. She rolled her eyes and stepped out of the elevator, I followed behind her as she made her way to Jasper's office. Jasper was in front of her leading the way

"And why do you think I offered in the first place? It was a good excuse to see you!" I pulled her back towards me and whispered in her ear, my lips brushing her earlobe

"You never need an excuse to see, you should know that Kitten" I felt her shiver against me and smiled triumphantly. I loved that I could get these reactions out of her without even trying. Not that she didn't have the same control over me, but still. I nuzzled my nose into her neck and I felt her melt into my embrace. Jasper cleared his throat again

"Um…I'm still here, guys and still waiting for those papers, Miss Swan" he said with a smile. Bella of course, blushed again

"Tiger, I'm in my meeting until 12pm and it's only two buildings over, so do you want to meet for lunch?" I nodded. Hell, yes, I did. I would never turn down some Bella time

"Yeah, Jazz and I have a conference call in half an hour, but we should be done by then. Right, Jazz?" I looked up at Jasper, who nodded

"Uh…you know, you actually have to let me go for me to leave, right?" Bella asked teasingly. I tightened my arms around her and sighed

"And what if I never want to let you go?" I asked seriously. She looked up and met my eyes and all I saw was love and understanding. She cupped my cheek and I leaned into her touch

"Then don't" she said simply, smiling. I nodded and released her, stepping back. I understood what she was saying without her having to say the actual words

"Go on, get to your meeting. I'll see you back here at 12pm, ok?" she nodded and leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed my jaw line. This time I shivered. She had a smug smile on her lips when she pulled back. I raised one eyebrow at her as if to say '_smug much?_' and she shrugged back at me to say '_If you can, then I can_!". She had a point. Again it was Jasper that broke our silent exchange

"You know, we never could understand how you guys did that?" he said in an amused tone. Both Bella and I turned to him, confused. He waved a hand in the air between us

"That silent convo thingy you guys do. It's like you have full blown conversations with each other, but never utter a sound. It's kind of freaky to watch" Bella and I looked at each other in a way of saying '_Yeah, and?_' and then back at Jazz, who simply shook his head and chuckled

"See what I mean!" Bella and I shrugged. I leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss

"I've got to go set up this call, Baby. Have a good meeting" she nodded

"See you at 12, honey" she waved and walked into Jasper's office, shutting the door behind her. I sighed and walked on to my office, which was next to Jasper's. It was going to be hard to concentrate on work with her in the next room, but we both had careers that were very important to us. This thought lead me to wonder what would happen if we had kids.

That brought me up short. Kids? I was already thinking of kids with Bella?

_Fuck Yeah! I want it all with her!_

_Even marriage?_

_Um…yeah, how else would we have kids?_

_Ever heard of common law partner?_

_I don't buy into that crap!_

_Yeah but-_

My inner musings were cut of by Jasper walking into my office. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair and shook my head to clear it. Jasper noticed this and cocked an eyebrow at me. Fucker always was too perceptive

"What's up, man? You look kinda freaked"

"Nothing, just an errant thought that kind of scared the shit out of me"

"Hmm…care to share?" I shook my head again to clear it and sighed again, wondering how to phrase my thoughts without sounding to high schoolish

"Bella?" Jasper asked softly. I nodded

"In a way, yeah"

"What's that mean, dude?" Jasper asked, confused now. I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Jasper waited patiently, he knew me well enough to know that I would talk when I was ready

"I was just thinking about our future"

"Whoa, seriously?" I nodded again

"Don't get me wrong. We are in no way ready for that, but lately I've been thinking a lot about it and it's kind of scaring the shit out of me" I tried to explain. Jasper nodded knowingly

"And…?" He knew that wasn't all of it. Shit, he really did know me

"And, I guess I'm worried about it too" Jasper tilted his head to the side, but did not break his gaze from me. I shifted in my seat, knowing he knew that I wasn't done. I ran my fingers through my hair again

"Look, it's like this. We both have very fast paced careers that we both love. We just about have enough time for one another, how would we work if we had kids? I guess what freaked me out the most was that fact that I even thought about that in the first place! I mean, we've only been dating for a little over three months and I know it's too soon for me to even be thinking of marriage and kids with her, but…shit man, she's it for me. She's the one and there won't ever be anyone else for me!" Jasper held up his hand to stop my rambling and chuckled

"Ed, Man, chill. Take a breath" I did as he said

"Now, first off, yes, you guys have only been dating for three months, but you have known each other for a hell of a lot longer than that. You know everything there is to know about each other. You don't have to go through the awkward get to know each other phase like most couples do and I think that works in your favour" I started to speak, but he held up his hand again to stop me

"Granted, your past has been rocky, but both of you have come out of that amazingly well now. You've both talked about your time apart, I assume" I nodded again

"Good. Communication is very important in any relationship" Jasper paused and gazed at me steadily for a moment

"Secondly, it's a good thing that you have acknowledged to yourself that she's it for you, but have you asked her how she feels?" I shook my head. He was right, I hadn't. This time Jasper sighed

"You need to talk to her, Edward. Share your feelings and your fears with her. I am also assuming that you are worried that if things get a bit rough again, you are afraid that she will do as she did the last time?" my eyes widened. How the fuck had he read me so clearly?

"I take it from your expression that I am right?"

"Yes" I whispered. I looked down at the table under my fingers. I felt guilty for feeling like this, but it had taken me a lot to become somewhat human again after she had left and though I was not angry at her anymore, the hurt was still there.

I had to talk to her. I had to know what she was thinking and feeling, because for me, there was no going back. I couldn't live without her in my life now. She was my life.

**BPOV**

I walked into the foyer of Edward's building at bang on 12pm, but Edward was still not there. I spotted a petit girl with honey blond hair and blue eyes sitting at the reception desk and assumed that she was Jane, Lauren's replacement for the day. She looked up as I came through the door and crossed the floor towards her

"Good afternoon, welcome to Cullen & Hale Designs. How can I help?" she smiled brightly at me

"Hi, can you let Mr Cullen know that Bella Swan is here, please?" I watched as her smile faded slightly and a guarded look entered her eyes. I sighed internally. Not again!

"Do you have an appointment?" I shook my head

"Not as such, but he is expecting me" Jane shook her head and sighed

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but Mr Cullen is a busy man and does not see anyone without prior appointment" was it just me, or had her voice taken on a slight icy quality

"I am fully aware of how busy he is, Jane" her eyes widened in surprise when I spoke her name "But, should you value your job, I suggest picking up that phone and calling up and announcing my arrival" I smiled sweetly at her. She stared at me for a moment, then huffed and did as I asked. I could only hear her side of the conversation, but I could guess Edward's reply from the look on her face

"Mr Cullen, there is a Bella Swan here in reception, however she doesn't have an appoint-" there was a beat of silence as Edward cut her off. Her eyes widened once again and flickered to me

"Yes, Mr Cullen, I'm sorry. I'll let her know" I smirked at her and waited until she put the phone down

"Mr Cullen will be right down" she informed me sullenly. I nodded at her and moved to sit on one of the black leather chairs to the left of the desk. I didn't have to wait long. Not five minutes later, the elevator doors opened and out strode Edward, looking all kinds of sexy in his navy blue suit with white shirt and a tie matching his suit

"Hey, Kitten!" he called as he walked over to me. I stood to meet him

"Hey, Tiger" he reached me and pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my head. I sighed contentedly. He let out his own little sigh and then released me. He turned to Jane

"Jane, this is my girlfriend, Bella. As I stated on the phone, she will never need an appointment to see me. Bella, this is Jane, Lauren's replacement for the day and Jazz's PA" I nodded at her and she narrowed her eyes at me at being introduced as Edward's girlfriend. I heard Edward suck in a deep breath

"Is there a problem, Jane?" his voice was steely all of a sudden and I knew that he had caught the look Jane had given me

"No Mr Cullen. I was just surprised. I've worked here since day one and this is the first time you have had one of your girls here" I raised one eyebrow at her insinuation. I knew what she was trying to say and I did not appreciate it one bit. I was about to say something when Edward tightened his arm around me

"Jane, would you mind clarifying that statement for me please? What girls are we talking about exactly?" Jane now looked flustered. It seemed that she wasn't expected to be called out for that comment by the boss. She must have assumed that I would play the part of jealous girlfriend and call Edward out on it instead. Too bad her ploy backfired

"I…Uh…I…Um I just meant…Uh" she sighed and I saw her shoulders slump "I'm sorry Mr Cullen. I never meant for it to sound the way it must have" I chuckled and stepped out of Edwards's arms towards Jane

"Jane, I have known Edward for 12 years. We have been friends for a long time. I know him better than any girl could ever hope to, so I am not offended by your comment and nor am I jealous. I am simply amused as you happen to be the second person today to question our relationship only to be shot down" I held out my hand to Edward without turning and I felt his warm hand embrace mine and squeeze gently. I gazed at Jane for a moment then continued

"What you need to understand is that Edward and I have a bond that goes beyond any understanding. I get that he is a hot piece of ass and good to ogle over, but he is _my_ hot piece of ass and I would appreciate it of you would remember that, ok?" Jane looked at me in surprise and awe. Edward was beside me shaking with silent laughter. Jane nodded sheepishly then turned to Edward

"She's a keeper, Mr Cullen. I like her" I smiled at that

"I completely agree, Jane and I intend to keep her for as long as she will allow me to" a warmth spread through my body at Edward's words and I swear I heard him mutter something along the lines of 'Forever if I have my way' under his breath. The tingly feeling I always got when he was near intensified and spread out to the tips of my fingers and toes

"Shall we go, Kitten?" I smiled up at Edward and nodded my acquiesce.

We sat in the café around the corner with our coffees, our hand intertwined on top of the table. We had chatted about our day and caught up on things in our lives. Throughout the entire conversation, I got the feeling that Edward was struggling with something. I watched as the walls went up in his eyes and he rolled his shoulders as if to prepare himself. I felt a chill creep up my spine as I waited for Edward to voice his thoughts. He cleared his throat and tightened his hold on my hand

"Bella, can we discuss something, please?" his voice was quiet, guarded. I nodded

"Sure, what would you like to discuss?" my voice was slightly shaky and Edward noticed

"Us" my eyebrows shot up in surprise and the chill started to creep further up

"What about 'us'?" I asked. Edward sighed and ran his hand through his hair

"Bella, I know we haven't been together for long, but this is something I need to talk about. I need to know where you are in terms of your feelings about me and your…our future" I sat back in shock. Ok, this was not what I was expecting. I had been thinking about our future a lot and I knew what I wanted, but I hadn't brought it up as we had technically only been dating for three months and I thought it might be too soon for Edward

"What do you want me to say, Edward?" his head snapped up to look me in the eye and I saw fear and hurt there. Oh God, he thinks I don't see this as long term

"What do you want to say, Bella?" I watched as the walls built higher in his beautiful green eyes, blocking out the light that had been shining there for the last three months. I sighed and reached out and took his other hand in my own

"Edward, I love you, you know that, right?" he nodded "I have always loved you and I always will" I paused. Edward stiffened in his seat, his shoulders hunching in as if to ward off pain. I sighed again. My poor Edward, I had hurt him so much that he didn't trust this enough. This was my doing; I would have to fix it

"Edward, what is it? What is it that you fear the most?" I asked my voice quiet, gentle

"My biggest fear is losing you. You leaving" I heard the pain in his whispered words and they stabbed at my heart, making it ache. Part of me was hurt that he would think that I would do that again, but the biggest part of me understood where he was coming from. I took a deep breath and told him the one thing I could think of to calm his fears. The truth

"Edward, I get where you are coming from. I understand that you are scared that if something goes wrong, I will up and leave again, but that is not going to happen now. It won't, because I can't" Edward looked up and stared into my eyes. Searching

"You can't?" his voice was barely above a whisper. I shook my head

"No, Honey, I can't. I can't be without you again. What the first time didn't do, the next surely would. It would definitely kill me. Edward, you are my past, my present and, I hope ferverently, my future" I watched as the light returned to his eyes and filled his entire face, making him look even more like an angel. My angel. I smiled in response

"You are my future too, Bella. I wasn't sure that you felt the same, I had hoped. God, I had hoped! I love you Kitten, more than you will ever know" if possible, my wide smile got even wider at his words. He really loved me and this was real

"I love you too, Tiger, so much" I squeezed his hand. He leaned forward and brushed his soft, warm lips on mine and I couldn't help the sigh of contentment that escaped my lips, everything was finally falling into place and I was beyond happy.

Unfortunately, life always has a way to test us and today was no exception. After we left the café and Edward and I went our separate ways. I headed back to my office to work on the deposition for Kate's case; I was due to meet with her tomorrow. I walked into my office building, still on a high from my lunch date, but the high didn't last too long.

There sitting on my desk, was a vase full of red roses. I knew they weren't from Edward, as he knew not to give me red roses. I wasn't a big fan of them. I preferred white roses and even better, I preferred calla lilies. My chest tightened painfully as I gazed at them. Only one person had ever given me red roses. Jacob.

I picked up the card with shaking fingers and turned it around to read

**Beautiful roses, for my beautiful fiancé.**

**You are MINE!  
>You will always be MINE!<br>Don't forget that…ever  
>I will come back for you. I promise.<strong>

I exhaled sharply, my knees giving way. I sat heavily in my chair and simply stared at the card for several long moments. He really had lost it this time. He would never let me go. What had happened to my sweet caring friend from so long ago? Who was this Jacob?

All these thoughts raced through my mind as I tried to figure out what to do. Shakily I picked up my phone and dialled the number of one person who I knew would make me feel safer

"Edward Cullen"

"Tiger?" I whispered, my voice shaking like the rest of me

"Kitten? What's wrong, Baby?" his anxious voice soothed my nerves some

"Jacob" it was all I could say. It was all I needed to say

"I'll be there in 10 minutes" with that he hung up the phone. I replaced the receiver and leaned back into my seat. I sat there, simply staring at the roses. I couldn't move and I couldn't bring myself to break my gaze from the flowers.

I was still sat in the same position when Edward rushed through my office door with my assistant trailing after him

"I'm sorry, Izzy, but this gentleman didn't stop. He simply rushed past me" Tami looked flustered and scared

"It's ok, Tami. This is Edward, my boyfriend and he is welcome to rush past you at any time, ok" I spoke softly, my voice still slightly shaky. I rose from my chair as Edward rushed into the room and gathered me into his arms

"Sure thing, Izzy. It's a pleasure to meet you, Edward" Edward simply nodded at her then turned back to look down at me. His eyes were wild with worry. I waited until Tami had left my office, shutting the door behind her then I held up the card for Edward to read and I nodded towards the flowers

"I came back from lunch and found these on my desk" I watched as Edward's face went from pale to red to bright purple with rage as he read the card and took in the flowers on my desk

"You don't like red roses" was all he managed to get out through his teeth. I chuckled darkly. Eight years apart and this man still knows me better than anyone!

"No, I don't. I never have"

"You would think he would know that, right?" Edward was breathing deeply, trying to calm his rage. I reached up and cupped his cheek

"Calm, Honey. Please, calm down. I need you" I whispered. Edward dropped his eyes to meet mine and I saw them soften, though the underlining rage was still there. He exhaled deeply and wrapped his arms around me again

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm just so worried about you and I really, _really_ hate him for doing this to you. I feel so helpless because there is nothing I can do right now to make it right" I pulled back in surprise. Did he not understand that it was only him that was making me feel safe right now?

"Oh honey, don't you know that you make everything right just by holding me? I feel safe in your arms alone, how can you not know that?" I stroked his cheek with my fingertips, pleading him with my eyes to understand me. He searched my eyes, for what I don't know, for several long minutes. I waited and watched him warily. Finally his shoulders slumped and he tightened his hold around me, pulling me closer still

"Thank you, baby. I'll do whatever I can to ensure your safety" he whispered into my hair, dropping a kiss on top of my head before loosening his arms and sighing and running his hand through his hair, a clear sign of his distress

"First things first, we need to find out how he sent these from jail, unless he is out on bail. Have you heard anything on that?" he looked from me to the flowers, his brows knitted together

"I haven't heard anything yet. Let me give Officer Twain a quick call now" he nodded and gestured for me to go ahead. I stepped back to my desk and pulled out the card from my purse. The phone rang four times before it was answered

"Officer Twain"

"Good afternoon, officer. This is Bella Swan"

"Miss Swan, how are you?"

"I am well, thank you. I…um…well, I had a couple of questions, officer"

"Of course. How can I help?"

"Officer, has Jacob Black been released from prison?" I held my breath as I waited for his answer. I could see Edward fidgeting from foot to foot. I decided to put the call on speaker so that he could hear too

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, I thought you had been informed. He was released last night on bail" I heard Edward mutter expletives beside me. I released my breath in a whoosh and sank down on my chair. My legs were unable to hold me up any longer. I felt the tingles on my skin as Edward rubbed his hand up and down my back in soothing circles

"Are you ok, miss?"

"Not really. I received some flowers from him today, with a slightly threatening note" I replied, trying to keep the shaking out of my voice. As a lawyer, I knew there was not much I could do right now. He had not directly posed a threat. The most I could do was file for a retraining order on grounds of harassment. I sighed and lowered my head to my arms

"Officer Twain, this is Edward Cullen, Bella's boyfriend"

"Good afternoon, Mr Cullen. You are the one I met that day at Miss Swan's apartment, yes?"

"Yes, officer. I have a question and forgive me for sounding like an ass, but why were we not informed of his bail hearing?" I glanced up to see Edward's jaw clenched tight in effort to hold in his rage. I heard Officer Twain sigh and a rustle of papers

"I have a note here in the file that a message was left with your receptionist last week, Mr Cullen and one on Miss Swan's office line" Edward's hand stilled on my back and I watched as his eyes flashed, the green now completely black with rage

"Are you sure?" I could hear the effort it took for him to speak each word

"Yes, Mr Cullen"

"Thank you officer. We will be in touch if there is any further contact"

"Thank you Mr Cullen. I would advise that you keep the note you have received today and keep a note of any other contact you may have received" I looked up at Edward and remembered the phone call the other day

"The only other contact has been a phone call last night" I whispered, realising that he must have called soon after he was released. Edward was positively shaking now. I laid my hand at his waist in effort to calm him and it seemed to work as I saw him relax ever so slightly

"Phone call? When was this?" Officer Twain sounded like he had sat up straighter in his chair

"Um…Edward and I were out for dinner and he called my cell. I think it was around 9pm?" I glanced up at Edward to confirm this. He nodded then bent and placed a gentle kiss on my temple

"I spoke with him soon after Bella answered the call. We had a few words and then I hung up" Edward explained, his one hand resting on my shoulder and the other running through his hair over and over again

"I see. And what words were exchanged exactly, Mr Cullen?" Edward sighed and then launched into the tale of his conversation with Jacob. I couldn't help but stare at the roses that were still sat at the edge of my desk.

_What did he want?_

_Why is he doing this to me?_

_What happened to my friend?_

All these thoughts ran on a continuous loop through my mind. This Jacob was not someone I knew. My friend from years ago was gone. This was not him.

I was startled out of my thoughts by Edward's hand pulling my face towards him by my chin

"Baby, stop. Stop thinking. I won't let him hurt you again" he gazed intensely into my eyes, his love shining bright. I shook my head

"That's not what I am worried about. I know you will do all you can to keep me safe" I stroked his cheek lovingly. His brows furrowed in confusion

"Then what were you thinking so hard about?" I sighed and stood up, walking toward the flowers and ran my finger over the petals

"I was think about how this is not Jacob. At least, not the Jacob I knew. I was wondering what happened to that Jacob and if this Jacob is the real one, how did I miss such and important personality flaw?"

"I don't know, baby. Maybe it was always there and he was just good at hiding it?" he shook his head and walked over to me, pulling my towards him and away from the flowers

"So was it something I did to bring it out? Is this my fault?" I felt the tears running down my face silently. Edward spun me round to face him, his face pained

"No, baby, no. This is all him. Not your fault. I don't think it was anything you did, I think he was always like this, but love? Love makes us all a little crazy. I should know better than anyone that losing someone I love can mess with your head and your emotions, but even then, it was all me. There nothing anyone could have done to prevent that" I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my head in his chest

"I'm so sorry, Tiger. You will never know how sorry-" I was cut off by Edward's lips crashing to mine. He licked my bottom lip and then my top lip, silently asking for entrance, which I gladly granted. His tongue slowly massaged mine eliciting a soft moan from me. He continued to kiss me until I was dizzy and breathless. He pulled away, panting

"Let's get one thing straight, Kitten. You are no longer allowed to apologise for mistakes made in the past during your adolescent days, when you didn't know any better. You try to apologise and you will be thwarted in a similar fashion, capiche?" he raised one eyebrow in a silent challenge to his words, a smile playing at his lips. I smiled back and nodded. I reached up and cupped his cheek in my hand

"I love you, so much"

"And I love you, baby, with everything I am" no other words were needed for the moment so Edward simply pulled me back into his chest and cradled me there.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**EPOV**

_Fucking Hell_

I mean, c'mon, is there no way some semblance of happiness can remain untainted? How much can one person take of drama and pain and fear? What did we do to deserve this? What did I do? What did Bella do?

Whoever said life is not fair, sure as fucking hell knew what they were talking about. Just as Bella and I laid our past ghosts to rest and were well on our way to a strong relationship, some higher power decides to fuck with us and send the Angel of Destruction AKA Jacob Black. To say that I was worried about Bella was an understatement. I wasn't lying when I told Charlie that she was my everything. Just the thought of Jacob, or anyone else for that matter, hurting her in any way made my chest hurt and panic to unfold in my veins.

It's been a week since he sent the flowers and we have not heard anything from him since. But still, I can't help but think that the flowers were only the beginning.

I can only hope that I am wrong.

_**Two days later**_

I walked into my office and started my normal routine of pulling out current files and loading up my laptop when my desk phone rang

"Edward Cullen" I answered absently

"Edward?" I heard Bella's frantic voice and immediately felt my panic rise

"Kitten? What's wrong? Are you ok?"

"Tiger, can we meet? Now?" I frowned. That was strange. Bella hardly ever called asking to meet urgently

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"I-I need to see you. I'm on my way to your office now. Have you got a few minutes?"

"Of course, just come straight up when you get here"

"Okay. I'll be there in five"

"Okay, baby. See you then" I hung up the phone still frowning. A million scenarios were running through my mind. I could feel the panic rising slowly to the surface. Her panicked voice was doing nothing to quell my fears.

_Had he sent her something else?_

_Had he hurt her in some way?_

_Had he threatened her?_

The thoughts were swirling in my head when Bella walked through my office door. I watched as she stood in the doorway for a moment, just watching me. I rose from my chair and walked to her

"Baby, are you ok?" I pulled her into my arms gently and I could feel how stiff and scared she was

"He sent me a letter" she whispered. I pulled back and looked down into her scared eyes swimming with tears. I could feel the anger rising in me. Anger at him for doing this to her. Anger at myself for not being able to do anything to stop it

"Let's see it" I pulled her over to the sofa in the corner of my office and sat down with her on my lap. She handed me the note and I carefully unfolded it. My eyes ran over the words in disbelief. The guy was nuts. He was crazy, plain and simple. The words in this letter proved his mental instability. I read it over again

**My Beautiful Fiancé**

**I know that we are at an impasse right now, but I know that you love me too. I will wait for you to come to your senses so that we can finally be together as we are meant to. But I won't wait too long so be sure to come to me soon.**

**I know that, that Edward is the one that is keeping you from me right now and for now, that's ok, because soon he won't be able to hold you back. I will have you.**

**One way or another, I will have you, darling.**

**Until then**

**Jake**

I folded the note back up and placed it on the seat next to me. Silently I pushed Bella off my lap, stood up and strode out of my office, making my way to the conference room at the end of the hall. Once I stepped in and closed the door I let loose the roar of fury that was building inside me and punched my fist into the wall beside the projector screen. I took deep ragged breaths in hopes of calming myself. I was still trying to calm my rage when the door opened and I turned to find Jasper and Bella standing there watching me as if I were a caged lion trying to get free. Which was amusing in a way, because that's exactly how I felt in my rage.

Bella stepped closer to me, holding out her hand to me. I looked down at her hand and saw that it trembling. I instantly felt guilty because I knew she was scared and I had done nothing to quell her fears instead choosing to deal with my rage first. I sighed and stepped the last couple of feet towards her and pulled her to my chest

"I'm sorry Kitten" I mumbled into her hair

"It's ok, Tiger. I know you are angry, I am too, but please, honey, I need you right now" she answered, her face buried in my chest, her arms tight around my waist. I sighed and pulled back to look down into her beautiful face

"I'm here, baby. Always" I brushed the lingering tears from her face just as Jasper cleared his throat. I looked up and found him staring at me anxiously

"Ed, man, what's going on?" he asked

"Jacob has been sending Bella flowers and notes" I answered as his eyebrows shot up towards his hairline. I sighed again and explained the whole thing. From the release from jail to the phone call while we were at dinner and then the flowers and now the letter. By the time I had finished Jasper looked just as angry as I felt

"How dare he!" Jasper seethed. I nodded in agreement. He looked down at Bella who had been quietly sobbing in my arms. I watched his hand warily as he placed it on her shoulder. I knew I had no reason to fear him or be jealous of him, but my protective tendency had been riled up now and I almost growled at him for touching her. At Jasper! My best friend!

I must have made some kind of noise because Jasper raised one eyebrow at me questioningly. I merely shrugged at him and motioned with my eyes to his hand. He followed my gaze and then snapped his eyes back to my face

"What the hell, Ed?" he asked in disbelief "What do you think I'm gonna do to her?"

Bella's head snapped up and whipped back and forth between Jasper and I

"I know Jas, but I can't help it. Everything is a threat to me right now. It's my protective instinct kicking in, that's all" I said slightly sheepishly

"Edward!" Bella's tiny hand slapped at my chest lightly. I looked down at her and chuckled

"I would say sorry, baby, but I'm not. You are the only one that bring that up in me so technically it is your fault" I grinned down at her and winked and of course she blushed. I couldn't help but laugh at the red appearance. I tightened my arms around her and looked back at Jasper

"So what now?" he asked

"I don't know. I don't want to do anything that will make it worse for her, but in the same coin, I can't do nothing at all either. Got any ideas?" my hand was rubbing up and down Bella's back. She had stopped crying now but was still sniffling slightly

"We could speak to Josh and get some security?" I nodded in agreement

"Who's Josh?" Bella raised her eyes to meet mine

"Joshua Readon is a friend of Jasper's and mine. We met him at Dartmouth. He went to Police Academy and graduated with top scores. He ended up opening up his own security and private investigation business and never made it into a precinct" I explained quickly before turning back to Jasper

"Call him and ask him if he can meet with us this afternoon" Jasper nodded and left the room to do as I asked. As he left I looked down at Bella who was gazing up at me with a touch of fear in her gorgeous chocolate brown eyes

"Tiger, why are you asking him to meet?" she asked in a whisper

"I want his opinion on how to go about keeping you safe. He's the best in the business and I trust him to advise me well" I explained. She nodded

"So you're not thinking of hiring me a bodyguard then?" she asked with a slight smirk and one eyebrow raised. Damn, she really did know me too well. I flushed and dropped my eyes in embarrassment, because quite frankly, that was exactly what I had been thinking

"Mmhmm, that's exactly what I thought" she said, still smirking at me. I shrugged and pulled her closer to my body

"I'm not going to apologise, baby. I just want you as safe as I can get you and if that means hiring a team of bodyguards to achieve it then that is exactly what I will do. The thought of any harm coming to you…it kills me…I…I can't-" I broke off because I could feel the panic unfurling in my heart making it pound. Bella pulled back and placed her hand on my heart, as if she knew what I was feeling in there

"Shh, honey. I'll be fine. I understand why you want to do this, but what you are forgetting is that Jacob has done nothing to make us feel the need to hire protection yet" my eyebrows flew to my hairline in disbelief

"He's done nothing so far? Bella! Have you forgotten the day you broke off your engagement? Or how about the day of my birthday at your apartment? Do you know what it did to me to see you in that monsters clutches? Or when you crumpled to the ground unconscious? Is that nothing?" My voice had risen in volume and I had stepped away from her and was now pacing the length of the conference room. My breathing was laboured and ragged. I turned away from her and stopped at the window overlooking the skyline. I felt the electric current at my back as she moved to stand behind me

"Edward?" I ignored her, still trying to calm my breathing and the thoughts and images running through my mind. Flashes of Jacob slapping her at the restaurant, then in her apartment with his hand around her throat, then of her lying on the wooden floor barely breathing. All of this played through my mind as if on repeat. I clutched at my hair in a vain attempt to get the thoughts to stop. Bella was still calling me, her hand on my back, but it was as if her voice was coming through a dark tunnel. It was muffled and faint against the roaring of blood in my ears and the flashing images in my head.

I felt her move to stand in front of me and place her hands on both sides of my face, forcing me to look at her

"Edward, breath, honey. Please, come on, breath. Look at me, sweetheart. I'm ok, you're ok. Please Honey, please, come back to me" her sobbing snapped me out of my head and allowed me to focus on her tear stained face. I let out a strangled sob and pulled her into me roughly, assuring myself that she was real and she was here, in my arms

"Bella, I can't lose you, baby. It would kill me. I need you to be safe" I buried my face into her hair and inhaled her sweet scent. It never failed to calm me and it didn't fail now either.

Bella stroked my hair softly, lovingly and held me tightly to her

"It's ok, honey. I know. You won't lose me, you won't let me go now" she continued to coo into my ear as I calmed down. I pulled back just as Jasper stepped into the room again. He eyed me warily, taking in my tear stained face and swollen red eyes

"You ok, man?" he asked softly. I nodded and took a deep breath before releasing it through my nose

"Yeah, just a small moment of weakness. I'm ok now" I replied as lightly as I could. Bella scoffed beside me but didn't say anything. I wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me

"Did you get a hold of Josh?" I asked

"Yeah. He's got a free hour right now and said he would swing by. Apparently he's in the vicinity and should be here in-" Jasper was cut of by the ringing of the phone in his office. He motioned for us wait here for him. He left the door open as he left and I really wished he had closed it as most of our employees could now see into the room. I excused my self from Bella to pay a quick visit to the bathroom to splash some water on my face.

I stood for a couple of minutes and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I sighed and dragged my hand down my face, noticing how haggard I looked and the tension around my eyes from worry did nothing to ease my vain concern. I turned to leave and was knocked back by the door opening. Jim, one of the interns came rushing in

"Oh! Sorry Mr Cullen! I didn't mean to crash into you. Are you ok?" he asked, obviously panicked at nearly knocking over the boss. I chuckled

"I'm fine Jim. Are you ok?"

"Yes, yes…I…Um…Just need to use the bathroom real bad is all" I laughed at his discomfort and clapped him on the shoulder kindly and gestured behind me

"Well, here it is. Have at it" I chuckled again and breezed past him out the door. I could hear the murmur of voices coming from the conference room as I stepped up to the door. The scene that greeted me had the green eyes monster rising again. Josh was standing almost touching chest to chest with Bella, his left hand holding her right one and his right hand on her shoulder. Bella looked uncomfortable. Josh had always been a bit of a player in college and still was to this day. I knew all his moves to pick up woman and he was using his signature move on Bella right now. The beast inside me roared to life

_Mine!_ The beast was growling from within. However on the outside I was relatively calm as I cleared my throat for their attention. Bella's eyes snapped to mine and I read the fear in them, which in turn kicked my protective instinct to a higher level. I strolled calmly to her side and wrapped my arm around her waist, hoping to calm her with my touch. It worked, as she relaxed into my side

"Josh, good to see you, man. How are you?" Josh's eyes bounced from me to Bella and back again

"Edward, I'm good, how are you?" he asked cautiously. Josh knew me well enough to read the warning in my eyes, which clearly read: _Back off!_

"Good, good. Thanks for coming down so quickly. Bella and I appreciate it" I replied coolly

"Of course, man. What do you need me for?" He was still eyeing Bella and that made me growl. His eyes snapped back to me as I did. I raised one eyebrow at him and he smirked back at me in a clear challenge

"Josh, has Jasper introduced you to my girlfriend?" Josh's eyebrows rose to his hairline and I read the disbelief and confusion in his eyes clearly. The Edward Cullen he knew in college did not have girlfriends, unless you count Kate, that is. It was no secret that in college I had been a player, a man-whore who never looked for commitment. Josh knew that I had slept around and refused to keep one girl around for too long, whether as a friend or as a girlfriend. When he had asked in college, my answer had always been the same _"Because she will always leave in the end anyway so why put myself through that again?"_ He had always asked what I meant by that and as far as I knew, Jasper had explained briefly of my history and the reason behind my answer, but Josh to his credit had never asked me directly.

"Your…your…what?" he spluttered. I couldn't help but laugh at him. I had shocked him immensely. I had known Josh for nearly seven years now and I had never once said those words to him

"Josh Readon, this is my girlfriend Bella Swan. Baby, this is Josh, my friend from Dartmouth" I watched in amusement as Josh's mouth opened and closed a few times before he found his voice. I heard Bella giggle lightly and the smile on my face grew in response

"Holy shit. I never thought I would see this day" Josh finally managed to breath out. I laughed out loud at that and I could feel Bella laughing beside me. Bella stepped forward and held out her hand

"Hello Josh, it's a pleasure to meet you, though the meeting before Edward came in was…um…interesting" I looked down at her

"Interesting how?" I asked, with a hint of jealousy in my tone, which she of course caught. She rolled her eyes at me

"Relax, Tiger. Josh here was shown in by Jane and he proceeded to ask me if he could touch me as he though I was an angel sent from God" she snorted at the cheesiness, but the beast in me reared his ugly head. I snapped my head round to look at Josh so fast that I gave myself whiplash

"What?" I growled. Josh took a step back and raised his hands in surrender

"Chill Cullen, I didn't know she was your girl. I just thought she was an intern or something" I growled even louder at him as his explanation did nothing to appease me. Bella put her hand on my cheek and pulled my face down to look at her. I relaxed immediately at her touch and my eyes softened as they met hers. I read the love in her eyes and it calmed the beast inside me. I gazed at her, getting lost in those bottomless pools of chocolate. I heard a throat clear and tore my gaze away from Bella to see Josh smirking at me

"Yep, never thought I would see the day" I rolled my eyes

"And what is that supposed to mean exactly, J?" I asked, a little sarcastically

"The Edward Cullen I knew always said he would never have a girlfriend or a girls as a friend and here he is now, gotten himself a girlfriend"

"He said that?" Bella asked, Josh nodded

"Yeah. He always said and I quote 'They always leave in the end, so why put myself through that again?' I always wondered what he meant by that" I felt Bella stiffen beside me and of course, my body reacted and stiffened in response. I knew she would know exactly why I used to say that and I didn't want her to feel bad about it again, so I pulled her round to face me

"Don't go there, Kitten. It's done, it's over. We got through it, ok?" I said softly. I was acutely aware of Josh watching the exchange closely

"I know, Tiger, I know. I just can't help it though. There are always reminders" I softly stroked her cheek

"I know, baby, but those reminders are there to remind us that we got through it and came out the other side. Stronger and together" she nodded and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. I smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her softly

"Shit, _she's_ the reason. She's the one that Jas told me about?" I sighed before looking up at him nodding. This was the first time Josh had ever mentioned that he knew anything about my past, so I decided to come clean with him, finally

"Bella and I were best friends in high school, we knew everything about each other, we did everything together, hell, we even fell in love with each other and never knew it. Long story short, circumstances tore us apart, I spiralled into depression and vowed never to allow another girl get that close to me again. So that was the birth of Edward Cullen, The Manwhore. The Edward Cullen you knew in college…it was not me. It was the broken part of me that I pretended to show as a whole person" Josh stepped closer and placed his hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture

"I have never seen you like this, man. You're different. I like it" I snorted

"I wasn't looking for your approval, that's not why you're here"

"So why am I here?" I realised what I had said sounded a little harsh

"I'm sorry, J. That was uncalled for. Bella and I are just going through some stuff right now and it's been a little stressful" I explained

"It's ok, Ed, man. So, why am I here?" I looked down at Bella in askance and she nodded in acceptance. I looked back at Josh and then launched into the whole story about Jacob. Bella filled in details of her relationship with him before I came back on the scene and the more she explained about how his temper used to frighten her but she let it go due to pressure from her mother, the more I resented Renee for putting her in that position. When she explained about the pressure from her mother to accept Jacob's proposal, despite her reservations I very nearly threw a chair at the window. It was only Bella's hand in mine that kept me grounded.

Half an hour later, we had just finished the entire story and discussed some options for us to take when Jasper walked in and sat down at the table with us

"Hey man, sorry I wasn't here. I had to deal with a problem" Jasper explained

"Anything major?" I asked

"Nah, man. Just the Goodman project needed some adjustments before the meet tomorrow" I nodded. It wasn't one of my projects so I wasn't too worried. Although Jasper and I split the projects between us and tended not to get involved with each others, we still met once a week to go over and discuss everything we had going on so that in the event that one of us was out of the office or out of commission, the other could step in and take care of things. I knew that if the issue had been a huge one, he would have informed me immediately

"It's cool. We just finished explaining everything to Josh" Jasper then turned and spotted Josh

"Hey, J, long time no see! How are things?" Jasper and Josh shook hands and launched into a quick catch up session. I took the opportunity to pull Bella into my lap so that we could speak quietly

"Why didn't you tell me about Renee, Baby?" I said quietly into her ear

"What was there to say? You know how she is, how she gets when she wants something" she answered, shrugging

"She put you in an awkward position and not to mention a potentially dangerous one" my hand was stroking the small of her back under her shirt. Her soft skin felt like silk under my fingertips, making my body react in a pleasurable way

"It doesn't matter to me anymore what she thinks, Tiger. I'm done listening to her" I sighed in exasperation

"That's not my point, Kitten"

"Then what is?"

"My point is she needs to know what she's done and take responsibility for it. She has put you harms way. I will do all I can to protect you, but, baby, if anything happens to you, I will never forgive her or myself" Bella sighed and leaned further into me

"I'll be ok, Tiger. I trust you. But, you are right, Renee needs to know. I'll call her this weekend and talk to her" I nodded and leaned my forehead on her shoulder

"I love you, baby" I whispered

"I love you too" she whispered back. My heart soared as always when I heard her say those words. I silently asked her if she was ok, with my eyes and she answered with a small nod. It was then that I noticed that we had an audience. I looked up and found Josh and Jasper staring at us, grinning

"Are they always like this, Jas?" Josh asked, amused

"Yeah, usually worse. Especially when they have one of their silent convo's" Jasper replied. Bella blushed and hid her face in my neck; I pulled her tighter to me, still stroking her back

"Silent convo's?" Josh asked

"Yeah, man. It's so weird. Even in school these two could hold an entire conversation with just their eyes and facial expressions. It used to freak the fuck out of us! I mean, one minute they would be talking normally and then they would go silent and it would seem like they were communicating, the next second one of them would laugh or say something totally random that would make no sense to the rest of us"

I looked down at Bella and found her looking at me with amusement in her eyes. I lifted one eyebrow as if to ask her _'What?'_ she smirked in response saying clearly '_Nothing_'. I rolled my eyes in reply stating silently that I didn't believe her. She shook her head at me; her eyes alight with humour, showing me that she was laughing in my expense. I raised both my eyebrows at her saying '_Yeah, right_' and she shook her head at me again

"Don't believe you, but its ok, I'll get it out of you later" I said out loud, making her laugh and Jasper snicker

"Holy mother of fuck! You were right! Did they just have that entire conversation in silence?" Josh was looking back and forth between us in shock causing Jasper to snicker again

"Told you. Freaky isn't it?" Josh nodded, clearly still in shock

"Wow. I have never seen anything like it. That was amazing to watch" he breathed

"Yeah, well, trust me when I say, you have not yet had the entire experience of Bedward"

"Bedward?" Bella and I both asked at the same time, causing us to laugh. That was another thing we tended to do. We were so attuned to each other, even after eight years apart that we both knew what the other was thinking without it having to be said, which meant we sometimes either finished each other's sentences or we spoke the same thing at the same time

"See what I mean? It's like they're the same person sometimes" Jasper was smiling, but he still looked a little freaked out as he usually did around us. Josh just looked awed. Whether that was because of the change in me or the experience of 'Bedward', as Jas so eloquently put it, I didn't know

"Wow" Josh said again, slowly shaking his head. Jasper turned to us

"And yes, Bedward. That's what the gang has always called you two" he explained. I tilted my head in confusion. I had never heard us referred to in that manner

"Erm…we're confused. Why have we never heard you call us that before?" Bella asked for us. See, she knew exactly what I was thinking. I leaned forward and brushed my lips across her cheek in thanks; she in turn brushed her fingertips across my cheek, silently saying '_You're welcome_'

"Let me guess, Edward was thinking the same thing?" Jasper asked knowingly. Bugger knew us well too. Bella nodded, not even having to ask me. Josh again looked stunned

"But…but…how did you know? _Were_ you thinking the same thing, Ed?" Josh stuttered looking from me to Bella. I nodded and he started to look a little freaked out

"Whoa, this is some head trip" he muttered. Jasper, Bella and I laughed. I finally took pity on him and explained

"J, Bella and I know each other very well. We have always been attuned to each other. For example, I don't even have to look at her to know that she is at this moment blushing because of the attention being on her" Josh nodded in confirmation, I continued

"Another example is that I don't even have to see her to know when she is near me. I feel her and she me. We can hold our private conversations because of how well we know each other. We think on the same level, we feel on the same level and as such, we hardly ever need to look at the other to know what is going on in their mind. We sense it, therefore, words are not needed" Josh looked a little more freaked out and I started to feel sorry for him a little, but of course, my Kitten knew that already because she reached across the table and patted his hand comfortingly

"It's ok, Josh, we know it's a lot to take in and weird to see, but unfortunately for you, you are just going to have to get used to it, because that's just how Edward and I are around each other. We can't change it"

"Exactly" I stated, because honestly, that was exactly what I would have said too, just not in so many words. Josh looked at me

"What are you agreeing to?" he asked, again, Bella answered

"To what I just said, only he would have used less words, hence him just saying 'exactly'. He was agreeing with me" I snickered at the expression on Josh's face. He looked extremely freaked out now

"You alright there, J?" I asked in amusement. Josh cleared his throat and tried to school his expression into nonchalance. It didn't work

"Yeah…um…it's just…it's one thing to hear about from Jas, but it's quite another to actually see it, Ya know?" Bella and I both nodded

"Yeah, we know" we said at the same time, this time we all laughed

"Jesus, you guys should take this on the road! You guys would be famous" Josh said, shaking his head in amazement

"Uh…yeah, don't think so, J" Bella turned to me and silently asked '_And why not?_' I shook my head at her in a silent '_No way_'. She simply smiled at me in acceptance, her eyes telling me she had just been joking. I leaned forward and kissed her lightly to show her that I knew that. Again, I looked up and found our audience staring

"Seriously? Again?" Josh asked, Bella and I shrugged in response

"God, this is freaky shit! I have never seen any two people so attuned with each other! It's like…it's like you're two people, but one mind" he exclaimed

"J, no offence, but this is normal to us and you are starting to make us feel like freaks here" I said in slight frustration. Bella caught the slight in my tone and started stroking through my hair to calm me, as always, it worked. I sighed

"Sorry, J. That wasn't nice of me. I didn't mean to snap at you" again, he looked from me to Bella in awe. Jasper, the fucker, simply sat there with his arms folded across his chest, watching in high amusement

"She just calmed you with one touch? Seriously guys, I'm sorry for making you feel like freaks, but this is taking some getting used to. It's a phenomenon like I have never seen before and in my business I see a lot of freaky shit, trust me"

"Like I said before, Josh, you will simply have to get used to it, because this just how we are" Bella said firmly, still stroking gently through my hair. I let out a quiet sigh and leaned my head into her hand. It was silent for a few minutes as Josh took the time to process our relationship quirks. Jasper had not said a word for some time now

"Well, it looks like one of us are gonna get any work done this morning, so how about lunch at the restaurant, guys?" I asked finally. They all agreed and we quickly stood and made our way out.

Bella and I took my car while Jasper and Josh rode in Josh's Porsche Carrerra. We pulled into the parking lot of my restaurant and got out to wait for the last two of our party. Josh pulled in not five minutes after us and followed us into the restaurant. We were greeted by Kamera, the new hostess

"Good afternoon and welcome to Bella Italia. Party of four?" she asked. I could feel her eyes rake over my body and I felt a little disgusted. I may have to speak to Laurent about her before I left. I felt Bella stiffen next to me

"Thank you, we will seat ourselves" Bella replied stiffly and we made to walk towards our booth. Kamera shook her head, blocking our path and looked at Bella in way that was entirely hostile. I bristled at once

"Ma'am can you inform the manager that I would like to speak with him, please" I asked brusquely. I had to collect last weeks figure from him anyway and figured I could do it while I was here

"I'm sorry, sir. The manager is tied up at the moment. Is there _anything _I can help you with?" I didn't miss the double entendre to her question and neither did the rest of our group. I heard Jasper suck in a breath sharply behind me and Josh ask him in a whisper what was going on. I faintly heard Jasper's response

"The hostess is hitting on Edward and in front of Bella that is a big no-no, unless you want the claws to come out. As protective of Bella as Edward is, Bella is as equally protective of him" he muttered

"Listen, lady, we _will _seat ourselves, as I explained and you _will_ go and get your manager, as my boyfriend has requested or I will see to it personally that you are not standing here by the time I leave here, understood?" Bella said in an oh so quiet, but deadly tone. Kamera would do well to heed her advice. I was not particularly pleased with Kamera myself. I had not been involved in her hiring as I had been on site the day of her interview, so I knew she had no idea who I was. However, I knew she knew who Emmett was as he interviewed her with Laurent. Em said she was good and had experience, so I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt before I said anything incriminating to Laurent. Before I could speak, Kamera replied and sealed her fate

"Listen, I appreciate you wanting to seat yourselves and to speak with the manager. However, we do not allow patrons to seat themselves at this restaurant as we are not a diner or a café, but an upscale _restaurant_. The manager, as I informed _your boyfriend_, is a busy man and as his second, I am capable of helping you" _she really should have kept quiet_ I thought to myself. I sighed and pulled out my cell and dialled Laurent in the office, behind me I heard Jasper mutter 'Oh Hell no, she's in for it now. Edward's mad and that ain't never good news '. It rang twice before he answered

"Good afternoon, Mr Cullen. How can I help?" he said immediately, obviously having seen my name on the caller ID

"Good afternoon, Laurent. Could you join us in the main restaurant, please, we have a situation" I said through gritted teeth. I was seething and through my haze of anger I saw Kamera's eyes widen as I spoke Laurent's name

"Of course, sir. I will be there in seconds" he hung and I turned to Kamera

"Kamera, allow me to introduce myself before Laurent gets here. I am Edward Cullen, Emmett's brother and part owner of this fine _upscale restaurant_" I smirked at her shell shocked expression as understanding dawned on her that she had just fucked up. Big time.

I could hear Josh and Jasper snickering behind me. I felt Bella relax into me as I pulled her closer as I continued to speak, noticing from the corner of my eye that Laurent was walking towards us quickly

"Now, I understand that this is your first week here and Em was highly impressed by your credentials, but that gives you no right to speak to my girlfriend or any other person, for that matter, in the manner which you did. I am not going to ask you to apologise because had we been any other customer, we surely would have left after that speech you gave if not before, when you decided to proposition me, in front of my girlfriend, no less, that was unprofessional and callous towards her feelings. Kindly gather your things at the end of the day and do not return. You are fired" I said all of this calmly, coolly before I turned towards Laurent

"Mr Cullen, is everything alright?" he asked, a little breathless from almost running down two flights of stairs to get here

"Laurent, I have requested this woman to finish out her shift then to not return. She is fired" I replied

"For what, may I ask? She is very good at her job, sir" Laurent said. I shook my head and explained the entire conversation to him as Kamera stood with her head hanging, looking sorry for herself

"I'm sorry Mr Cullen; I will take care of her removal at the end of her shift, sir"

"Thank you, Laurent. Oh and by the way, the reason I requested to see you was to collect last weeks figure from you" Kamera's head snapped up at this and she looked even more remorseful

"Of course Mr Cullen, I'll get them to you before you leave. I assume you are staying for lunch?" he asked, I nodded again

"Yes, we are. We will be in our booth" he nodded and stepped to the side so that we could pass.

We settled into our normal booth. Bella and I on one side, Jasper and Josh on the other, both of whom were silent until we had ordered our drinks and then Josh spoke

"Ok, what the hell just happened back there" he pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the front of the restaurant. I sighed and decided to come clean.

I mean, not a lot of people knew that Em and I owned this restaurant and two others. Well, not entirely true that. Not a lot people knew that I was part owner. I was involved in the businesses, but not as heavily as Emmett. I had my own business with Jas that kept me busy. However, this restaurant was my baby, my dream, my tribute to Bella. So, of course I took a heavier involvement in the running of this place more than the other two places, one of which was more of a bar/club than a restaurant. Those were Emmett's babies and he dealt with every aspect in those. My name was simply on the deeds. But here…here, I handled a lot of the business aspects and on most occasions the hiring and firing. What Bella didn't know was that her name was also on the deeds of this place. She owned a third of it, but that was bombshell for another day when it was just her and I

"Emmett and I bought this place four years ago as an investment. We equally own it and two other businesses. I don't advertise this fact as I am not as heavily involved in the bar and the other place, but this place was my baby from the start and I am very involved in the running of this place despite the fact that I am hardly here. What you witnessed back there was me firing one of my employee's" I said all of this matter of factly as I watched the confusion turn to awe and understanding on Josh's face

"Fuck, man, when are you gonna stop surprising me with shit?" he asked as we all laughed

"Seriously man, you've done well for yourself. You've come a long way from the playboy Cullen of Dartmouth. What's this place called? What are the others called? Have I heard of them?"

"This place is called _Bella Italia_, the bar is called _8384_ and the other restaurant is _Hales_" I replied as I glanced around at the table, watching their reaction carefully

"Ok, I gotta ask. Why those names? Was there any particular reasons behind choosing those names?" Josh asked curiously. I nodded

"Well, as I said, this place was my baby, my dream. _Bella Italia_ for Bella and the fact that Italian has always been her favourite food, it made sense" Josh nodded, I continued

"_8384_ are the years of mine and Emmett's birth. 1983 for him, 1984 for me. We just thought it would be fun to number a bar and not actually name it anything" Josh nodded again before Jasper spoke

"So, why _Hales_?" I looked directly at him this time as I answered

"For Rose" I said simply. Jasper nodded knowingly in response

"What does that mean?" Josh asked

"Well, I got to name this place after one of the most important things to me. We named _8384_ together, so it only seemed fair to allow Em the honour of naming the last place after something so important to him" what I didn't explain was that Em had done the same thing I had with this place. Rose owned a third of Hales too.

Lunch was…interesting. I never realised how unique Bella's and my relationship was until Josh pointed it out. Most people we spent time with already knew about our quirks and our actions and reactions to each other and had never treated it as something out of the ordinary. So for an 'outsider', such as Josh to come in and observe our relationship and comment on it was strange to us.

We were finished and heading back to our cars when Josh pulled me aside for a quick chat

"Ed, hold up, man. Can we have a quick word?" I glanced at Bella in silent question; she nodded once and motioned with her eyes towards the car and then the keys in my hand. I lifted my hand and opened the doors for her before throwing them her way. She caught them and winked at me in thanks. I turned back to Josh to find that he had witnessed the entire exchange

"You know, that really is going to take some getting used to" he mused

"It's normal for us, remember?"

"Yeah, I know. It's just…have you seen how you two are with each other?" I tilted my head to one side in confusion

"What do you mean?" Josh heaved a sigh

"It's like watching the planets revolve around each other. It's fascinating, you move, she moves. She moves, you move. There's like this force field around the two of you that I can't explain. Kind of like…"

"Electricity" I finished for him, knowing exactly what he was talking about. He nodded excitedly

"Exactly! Electricity! It seems to flow between you"

"We know. How do you think I feel her?" I asked rhetorically

"Is that what you meant back at your office when you said you don't even have to see her to know she is there?" I nodded again

"Yes. Like right now, I can't see her, but I know that she is standing behind me and not in the car, waiting for me as I asked" Josh looked confused and again a little freaked as I said this and I heard Bella chuckle behind me. I turned and saw her standing mere feet away watching us. I nodded my head towards the car in a silent request to wait in the car, she answered with a simply head shake. I sighed and turned back to Josh

"The silent convo again?" he asked knowingly. I nodded

"You really don't need to see her to know she's there?" he asked in awe

"No, Josh, I don't, but I love to see her so I prefer to do so" he chuckled. As I said this I felt the electricity at my back intensify as she moved closer

"Baby, please go back and wait in the car. It's cold and all you are wearing is your suit jacket. I'll be there in a moment" I said all of this without turning away from Josh, whose eyes widened. Bella, of course ignored me and moved closer still so that she was standing right behind me. I sighed and reached behind me to grab her hand, all without turning away from Josh. Yeah, so I was showing off a little. Sue me.

It was very funny to watch the different emotions cross Josh's face as he realised that I hadn't been lying about being able to feel her without seeing her. Quite comical actually. I snickered under my breath

"Wow that is amazing. It's like you knew exactly where she was going to be!" he exclaimed. I sighed again for the thousandth time today. This was getting old. How did you explain this connection we had to someone who had not or may not ever experience it in some way?

"Yes, I knew where she was, Josh. How can I say it clearer? I. Feel. Her. When she moves the electricity moves with her so I know where she is without using my eyes. I know that it is the same for her too as she has confirmed this. However, I also need to stress this point It. Is. Normal. For. Us. We have never known it to be any other way and nor would I for one want it any other way" I was starting to get irritated and Bella knew it because she jumped in

"Josh, as I said before, we get that this is unusual to you, but we have never been treated any different by our friends because of this connection, so I will say this once and once only and I am saying it politely this once, you need to back the fuck off because you are starting to irritate Edward and when you do that, you are faced with not only a very irritated Edward, but a Bella too. We are mirror images. What he feels, I feel and vice versa. So, I will ask this just once, are you a friend or not?"

I could not help but laugh at Josh's expression. I heard Jasper laugh behind me and knew that he had heard too. Josh simply looked like you could knock him over with a feather. He turned his head slowly to me and I smirked at him as I wrapped my arms around my Kitten thinking again how there was no way I could have said it better myself and of course, because she knew me so well, Bella gave my input too

"I'll say it for him because I know that's what he's thinking right now. Exactly!" at this Jasper and I burst into loud laughter. Josh continued to stare at me, waiting. I shrugged

"It's true" this caused Jasper to laugh even harder

"Josh…your…face…man!" Jasper gasped out between laughs

"Damn, woman. You are feisty. I like it" Josh finally managed. Bella shrugged and turned to me, her eyes telling me she wanted to leave now. I nodded and turned back to Josh and stuck out my hand

"Josh, man, thanks for coming down to see us on such short notice and for your advice" Josh shook my hand and turned back to Bella

"Bella, in answer to your question: Friend, I hope. This is going to take some getting used to, but I'll get there" he held out his hand and Bella took it

"Josh, take all the time you need, but remember what we said. This is our normal" Josh nodded and released her hand. We stepped away from Josh and made our way to the car. I had the door open for Bella before Josh called out

"Hey, Edward? Is that a ticket on your car?" I looked to my windscreen and saw a white piece of paper fluttering in the breeze. I pulled it out and unfolded it. My blood ran cold as I read the note

**She is MINE. How long do you think you will keep her?**

**By the way, she does look real good in that navy two piece suit, doesn't she?**

**Enjoy it while it last, because it won't be for much longer, fucker**

"Ed, man, what is it?" I silently handed the note to Jasper and watched as he and Josh read it over

"Motherfucker! He was here!" Jasper swore. All I could do was nod. He had been here, which meant he was following her. Stalking her. I felt numb from that realisation. The only thought in my mind was 'protect her at all costs. Find the fucker and kill him'. I knew in that moment it would only be a matter of time before I came face to face with Jacob Black and only one of us would walk away from that confrontation. I just needed to make sure that it was me or I would die trying to protect Bella. My life meant nothing in comparison to hers.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

**BPOV**

As I walked into the office on Monday, my mind was miles away. Well, six blocks away actually, in the offices of Cullen & Hale Designs. After the lunch last week, Edward had gotten back to his car to find a note from Jacob. The contents of that note frightened me to say the least. Jacob had been stalking me. Edward was so freaked out that he was almost vibrating with fear and anger. I felt helpless, powerless to do anything. Today I would be filing a restraining order against Jacob. I was afraid that Jacob would take it too far and do something to harm me, or worse, harm Edward. I couldn't allow that to happen. Edward meant more to me than my own life.

"Morning, Izzy" my head snapped up to find Tami, my assistant standing in my doorway

"Morning, Tami. How are you?" I waved her forward as I needed her to file some caseloads for me. She made her way in, placing a cup of coffee on my desk before taking one of the seats in front of me

"You have a 9 o'clock with Kate Bryant. She called to confirm that she would be bringing two guests with her, if that is ok?" I nodded in confirmation. I knew one of the guests would be Edward, but I wondered who the other one was

"After that you have a conference call with Mr Aro and some of the Japanese clients and then you are free this afternoon" I nodded again and turned to my diary on my laptop

"Tami, can you give Judge Rogers a call for me and set up a meeting for this afternoon if you can, please?" Tami nodded and made a note in her notebook

"Does she need to know the reason for the meeting?" I shook my head

"Personal, not business" I replied, still looking through my diary. I noticed a strange notation in tomorrow's page

"Hey, Tami, What is this meeting note in tomorrow's page for 10am?" Tami looked at me confused

"Tomorrow at 10? You have nothing in there according to my notes. Hang on let me check with Yvette, she may have put it in" Tami rose and left my office. I continued to scroll through my emails, checking to see if there was anything important as I waited for Tami to return. I had gone through almost twenty emails before my eyes froze on one from Jacob. I quickly opened it

From:   
>To: <br>Subject: You  
>Date: July, 28th 2010<br>Attachments: Jpeg File 1, Jpeg File 2

My lovely fiancé,

See how beautiful you are to me? I could stare at you all day and never get bored. Come back to me now. You are mine and you know it.

Sincerely

Jacob Black  
>VP - Mechanics<br>Black Autos

I clicked on the attachments and gasped. They were two pictures. The first was of me last week in my navy blue suit outside Cullen & Hale Designs. I looked positively frightened. The second was of Alice, Rose and I as we left the café around the corner, also last week. My hand was visibly trembling.

_Oh God! He really was stalking me!_

The fear coursed through me rapidly. I saved the email and printed it, along with the pictures. I would need to keep evidence of his harassment in order to file my restraining order. I would need to show these to Edward when he came in. That part scared me too as I knew what his reaction would be. Rage. Pure, simple rage. I knew that he felt as helpless as I did, though for different reasons. Edward had always been protective of me, even back in school. But now…now he was even more so. As his love for me grew, so did his protective tendencies. I didn't mind much as I was just as protective of him.

"Izzy, Yvette said that a Mr Carl called and asked to meet with you tomorrow at that time. She made the appointment. She thinks he is a new client" I frowned. I knew I had no new clients coming up and our offices didn't really allow walk ins. I tilted my head to one side in confusion. Why the name sounded so familiar to me was beyond me, but something about this meeting tomorrow felt off and I couldn't explain why. I asked Tami to reschedule it to two weeks from now as the appointment clashed with a court appearance. Just then a knock sounded on my door. I looked past Tami and found Kate standing in the doorway expectantly

"Kate, come in. How are you?" I rose from my chair and crossed the office to greet her before I turned back to Tami

"Tami, that will be all, thank you. Can you please notify me once Ms Bryant's guests arrive?" Tami nodded and left the room. I turned back to Kate and motioned towards one the chair's across my desk. I took mine as she sat

"Morning, Bella. I'm doing ok. How are you?" Kate asked

"I'm well. Just busy as always. So are you going to tell me who your two guests are or am I going to have to guess?" I teased. Kate smiled and shook her head

"Well, you know Edward is one of my character witnesses?" I nodded, keeping my professional mask in place despite the rush of warmth running through me at his name

"The other is my boyfriend, Chase Murray" Kate continued "He will simply be here for support. He will not be involved in the proceedings, as Edward will" I nodded again. It seemed that Kate did not know about my relationship with Edward and I didn't want to say anything until he arrived just in case he did not want to reveal our involvement

"That's fine" I replied just as my phone rang

"Isabella Swan" I answered

"Izzy, Ms Bryant's two guests have arrived" Tami knew who Edward was, but to her credit she kept it professional

"Great, send them in, Tami" I rose and wiped my hands down the front of my skirt to smooth it

"Your guests have arrived, Kate" I said as the knock on my door sounded

"Come in" I called, trying to keep my nervousness out of my voice. The last time Edward was in this office with Kate had been before we had cleared the air and gotten our act together and I had no idea how he would respond to me this time in front of Kate. My door opened and in walked my own piece of heaven, looking all kinds of sexy in a charcoal two piece suit, black shirt and a black shiny silk tie. I felt light headed and breathless just looking at him.

_Oh, the things this man does to my body should be illegal!_ I thought to myself. I looked past Edward and saw a tall, blond man standing behind him. He was a couple of inches shorter than Edward and not as built. He was more on the lanky side. Edward was not as built as Emmett, but my man still had muscles from what I could tell. I had yet to see him fully unclothed, but I could feel those muscles ripple under my fingers whenever I touched him

"Good morning, gentleman. Please, come in and take a seat" I said, my eyes still on Edward in a silent question on how he would like to take this. He shifted his eyes to Kate's momentarily before swinging them back to me and nodded slightly to show that it was ok for her to know. I relaxed immediately and he smiled his crooked smile that I loved so much

"Hey, Edward. Morning, Sweetie" Kate called. Both men walked in and Chase shut the door behind him, taking the seat beside Kate

"Morning, Kate. Can you give me one sec, please?" Edward said. Kate nodded and looked at him in confusion. I felt the blush rise and he smirked at me to say '_Embarrassed of me?_' I shrugged and shook my head in answer of '_No_'. That was all it took for him to stride over to me and wrap his arms around, pulling me into his warm body and kiss me softly, gently, lovingly. I heard Kate gasp behind us, but I was too caught up in Edward's warm lips and the constant electricity that flowed between us whenever we were close to each other to bother with decorum at that moment. He pulled away slowly, placing soft kisses along my jaw

"Morning, baby. I missed you" he whispered. I hummed in agreement and he laughed softly

"Oh. My. God" Kate's voice sounded surprised. Edward released me and turned back to Kate and Chase

"Sorry Kate. There was no way I could give you my full attention before properly greeting my girlfriend first" Edward said, pride shining in his voice as it always did when he called me his girlfriend. Yeah, the pride was mutual

"How in the world? When did this happen?" Kate asked, still surprised. I buried my flaming face into Edward's chest as he laughed lightly

"Three and a bit months ago. A few days after we came here the first time actually" He answered

"Well, this is a turn for the books, isn't it?" Kate then narrowed her eyes at me and pointed one finger at me

"And you! You never said anything! We've met on several occasions since then! How could you not say anything" She exclaimed. I felt bad, but she was after all my client and that came first before our friendship. For now at least. Kate and I had become good friends since our first meeting. But during our meetings I always kept things strictly professional

"I'm sorry, Kate, but those meeting were in a professional capacity so I couldn't say anything" I said sheepishly "Also, I wasn't sure if Edward would want to say anything" Edward looked at me incredulously and I knew what he was thinking

"Are you kidding? I want to shout it from the rooftops, baby!" Yep, I knew that. I shrugged and he gave me a look that clearly said that we would discuss it later. I nodded and turned back to Kate

"I'm so sorry, Kate. I am being unprofessional right now, aren't I? Would either of you like something to drink?" Kate and Chase shook their head, but I knew Edward would want a coffee without even having to ask him so I crossed to my desk and called for Tami. She came in seconds later

"Tami, can I get two coffees, please? Black, two sugars" Tami nodded and left

"Are you that thirsty, Bella?" Kate teased me. I shook my head

"One's for me" Edward explained. Kate turned her head and looked at him slowly. I sighed internally. Here we go again, trying to explain our relationship quirks to someone who didn't know us

"She didn't even ask you, dumbass" Kate replied. Edward raised his head and locked eyes with me. I read the slight irritation mirrored in his eyes. He was thinking the same as me

"She knows" He said simply. Kate's eyebrows shot up

"And how? Is she a mind reader? Sorry, Bella, no offence" Kate threw over to me

"None taken, Kate" I replied. I sat back and motioned with my eyes that Edward should explain this. He nodded and turned back to Kate

"Bella knows me very well, Kate. She always has" he said softly. Kate looked from Edward to me and back again, confusion written clearly on her face. I sighed and leant forward on my desk, resting me elbows on the mahogany table

"Kate, it's very hard to explain, but suffice to say, when it comes to Edward, yes I am a mind reader and he the same with me. We just happen to know each other that well" I looked to Edward who was smiling gently at me in thanks. I smiled back

"What the hell is it with you two? Neither of you have said anything much to each other yet you both seem to be thinking along the same lines. Weird" we both shrugged

"We know" we both said at the same time, causing us to laugh at one another. Kate shuddered

"Ok, that is seriously strange. How did you do that?"

"Mind reading" we both replied again at the same time, again laughing.

Tami then came in placed the coffees on my desk before turning and asking Kate and Chase again if they were sure if they didn't want anything. They both refused and we got down to business discussing the appeal and court appearances.

Two hours later we had had finished all that we needed to discuss and Kate and Edward were fully prepared for their court appearances. I sat back in my chair and sighed

"Well, that's it for today, guys. Good job, Kate"

I glanced at the clock on my laptop screen and glimpsed the printed email on my desk as I did. I realised that Edward and I needed discuss this in private so I looked over and caught his eye. I silently asked him to stay back after Kate and Chase left and he nodded in confirmation. I saw worry flash through his beautiful green orbs as he spotted the papers in my hand. I glance down at them and then back up at him, pleading him with my eyes to remain calm. He sighed and nodded, running his hand through his hair in clear agitation. My desk phone rang and I answered it quickly

"Isabella Swan"

"Ms Swan, this is Aro. I regret to inform you that the meeting we had scheduled for today will have to be pushed back to tomorrow afternoon. Are you available then?"

"Hello, Aro. Let me check" I clicked into my diary, well aware of three sets of eyes watching me

"I have a court appearance in the morning, but will be free from 2pm. Will that work for you?" I heard Aro click through his calendar before answering

"2pm is fine Ms Swan. Please bring the Kamingo case file with you" I answered in acquiesce and hung up, making the necessary adjustments to my calendar. I turned back to my guests

"Busy, baby?" Edward asked, I shook my head

"No, just a cancellation of a meeting I had this afternoon" I replied, smiling. My eyes telling him I missed him, his telling me he loved me

"You know, this is taking some getting used to" Kate's voice interrupted our silent conversation. I turned to Kate and found her smirking

"What is, Kate?" I asked. Now that the business portion of our meeting had been concluded, I could relax and chat

"You two. Being together. It's fun to watch you two interact. Interesting to say the least" I raised one eyebrow at her. Edward rose from his seat on the couch in the corner and came round my desk. I looked up at him and he motioned for me to get up. I rose and he sat down in my place, pulling me down into his lap

"Hmm, that's better" He nuzzled his face into my neck, making me giggle. Kate sighed softly

"You guys look so happy. I'm so pleased for you. Edward, you look more content than I have ever seen you. Your eyes are sparkling and I have never seen them do that before" Edward raised his head from my neck and smiled at Kate

"Thank you, Kate. I am simply happy and I am definitely content, especially right now. How about you, baby? Are you content" I looked at him and answered silently with a nod

"I have to get going, but it looks like you will be staying, right Edward?" Edward nodded and released me so that I could stand and show them out. Kate hugged me at the door and whispered in my ear

"Details required soon" I pulled back and nodded, smiling.

I turned back to Edward, who was still sat in my chair after I closed the door behind Chase and Kate. Chase had been very quiet throughout the meeting, only making comments her and there. He struck me as the quiet type, but nice. As I turned to face Edward, my breath caught in my throat. He was staring at the pictures from Jacob's email. I had almost forgotten about that. I let out a long breath and made my way over to him. I stood by his side with my hand on his shoulder. I revelled in the electric feeling that always coursed through me at his nearness

"Are you ok, honey?" I asked quietly, though I knew he wasn't. He heaved a loud sigh

"Not really, but there is nothing I can do about that right now" he answered just as quietly. I rubbed his back and leaned down to place a soft kiss on his forehead. His eyes fluttered closed at the contact

"I'm worried, baby. I'm so scared you're going to get hurt" he said softly. I nodded

"I am too, honey. I'm worried he will use you to hurt me" Edward raised his eyes to me and the sadness and pain in them almost killed me. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and leaned my forehead on his

"We'll get through this. Together" I said

"Together. Always, baby" He replied

"I have a meeting with Judge Rogers at 3pm to file my restraining order" He pulled back

"Do you want me to come with you?" I shook my head

"No, it'll be ok. It's a quick meeting. I should be in and out. How about lunch first?" he nodded and stood up, wrapping his arms around me

"I love you, Kitten"

"I love you too, Tiger"

"Can we get away this weekend? I just feel like we have so much drama going on that we haven't had enough time to enjoy our relationship" Edward looked at me pleadingly. Silly boy, didn't he know that I didn't need persuading to spend one on one time with him?

_Hmm…maybe this weekend would be ideal to take our relationship to the next level_ I thought to my self. I knew I was ready, but I didn't know if Edward was and that thought made my stomach twist in an unpleasant way. What if he didn't want me in that way? Could I handle the rejection?

"I mean if you're busy, that's ok. Another time, maybe?" Edward backtracked and I realised that I hadn't answered him. I traced my fingers over his jaw line, relishing in the feel of his slight stubble under my fingertips

"I would love to go away this weekend. Any ideas where to?"

"Anywhere is fine with me, so long as we are alone and together" Edward's eyes darkened slightly, showing me that he was turned on. That brought heat to my lady parts

"How about we seclude ourselves at home? Your place or mine?" I suggested. I watched as the emotions played across his face. Joy, hunger, lust, love. All of them sent more heat below

"Can we talk about something before we make the plans?" Edward asked, suddenly shy

"Of course, honey, anything" I replied, curious to know what had made him shy. I waited as he collected his thoughts

"I want to make love to you, Bella" he blurted out. The joy and elation I felt at his words was indescribable. He wanted me! He wanted to make love to me! I took a deep breath before replying

"I want nothing more" his beautiful face lit up with a huge smile, making me warm all over. He crashed his lips to mine, kissing me with fierce abandon and devotion. I was breathless and extremely turned on by the time he pulled away and it was all I could not to tear off his clothes and have my way with him here and now. But I stopped myself because he had said he wanted our first time together to be special and I wanted to give that to him.

**EPOV**

The weekend was here. Finally.

Today was the day that Bella and I would be taking our relationship to the next level and as excited as I was to do this, I was also extremely nervous. It has been a while since I have been with a woman in that sense and I wanted this experience to be special and beautiful for Bella.

We had agreed to seclude ourselves at my house, since it was further from downtown and our friends. More privacy. Bella's apartment was only down the block from Alice and Jasper's and they had a key, so could barge in the most inopportune moment and Bella had confirmed that Alice did have a knack for doing so too. So, it made sense that we spend the weekend at my townhouse as Emmett was the only one with a key and he was in Cali this weekend with Rose.

I glanced up as a knock sounded on my door. The clock told me that Bella was five minutes early. I opened the door and nearly lost all my breath. There was my angel in a royal blue halter top and black jeans and black boots. Her beautiful hair was left down and around her shoulders in soft waves. Not a hint of make up was on her face, save for the lip gloss and she had never looked lovelier. I was speechless

"Hey Tiger" she said softly. I cleared my dry throat

"Hey Kitten. Come on in. Dinner should be here in a minute. I ordered Chinese. Is that ok?" I stood back and allowed her access. She walked past me and I caught a deep whiff of her delicious scent of strawberries and vanilla. My eyes rolled back into my head at the smell and the sensations coursing through my body were so very torturous. I opened my eyes and found Bella standing in front of me smirking at me

"You ok, there Tiger?" she asked playfully. I nodded and pulled her to me

"I'm more than ok. You look beautiful, baby" I whispered as I buried my face into her neck. I felt her shiver and smiled in satisfaction

"You look very handsome yourself" I pulled back enough to see her face and smiled

"Thank you, baby. Come on, lets get his evening started" I took her hand and led her into the living room. I left her sitting on the sofa as I went into the kitchen to grab the wine and two glasses. I had just come back with those when the doorbell rang.

"Can you get that, baby while I pour the wine? The money's on the sideboard by the door" Bella nodded and went to the door. It was several moments later that I realised that Bella had not come back yet so I went to investigate. I found her leaning on the doorway chatting with the deliver guy. My green eyed monster reared his ugly head as I watched the guy look Bella up and down. I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist

"Everything ok, baby?" I asked. Bella nodded and turned towards me

"Honey, this is Marcus Jones. He and I went to college together" I looked back at the delivery guy, who was now looking at me suspiciously. I nodded my head in greeting

"Marcus, this is my boyfriend, Edward Cullen" Marcus nodded back at me

"Nice to meet you" he said

"Is that our delivery?" I asked, pointing to the bag in his hand. He held it up with another nod

"Yes, that will $36.75, please" I grabbed the $40 from the sideboard and handed it to him telling him to keep the change. He handed me the bag and turned to Bella

"It was nice to see you again, Bella"

"You too, Marcus. Bye" Bella waved and shut the door and turned to me

"You know, you could have been less obvious" I raised one eyebrow at her, silently asking her what she meant, she rolled her eyes at me

"As if you don't know" she said and walked back into the living room. I followed her chuckling. I knew what she meant, but hell, that didn't mean that I was sorry for it.

After dinner we decided to watch a movie. Bella picked and just because we have similar tastes, she picked one of my favourites, _The Transporter_. We cuddled on the couch to relax. Ten minutes into the movie, I felt Bella's lips on my neck. I moaned at the sensation of her soft lips sucking and nipping at me. I pulled her face from my neck and leaned down and kissed her with all the passion and love for her I had in me. I nipped at her bottom lip then licked it softly. She moaned into my mouth and I felt myself harden at the sound. I pulled her into my lap without breaking the kiss, my tongue dancing with hers in tandem. The feelings coursing through me were delicious in their torture.

I pulled away from her mouth when oxygen became necessary and trailed my lips across her cheeks and down her neck

"Bedroom?" Bella panted into my ear. I nodded

"Bedroom" I agreed. I stood from the couch with her in my arms and took the stairs running. I was desperate for her and I wanted to love her properly and for that I needed my bed.

I laid her gently on my bed and stepped back. She looked so beautiful laid out in front of me. On my bed. I felt the desire in me spike. I crawled on top of her and continued my assault on her neck, slowly trailing down towards her chest. She was moaning and panting below me and the sounds she was making were doing nothing to help my situation down below. I wanted to rip her clothes off and take her. Hard and rough. But I wouldn't do that. She deserved better for our first time. I would make love to her slowly, gently. Showing her with my body what she meant to me. The hard and rough can come next.

I unfastened her blouse at the neck and pulled it down to her waist. I pulled back to take her in and my breath caught in my throat. She was beautiful. He navy blur bra was all lace, sexy in its simplicity. The colour against her translucent skin was exquisite. I moaned at the sight and looked back to her eyes, silently asking permission to remove this barrier. She nodded and leaned up so that I could unhook the strap. I peeled the bra from her slowly, inch by inch. She reached down and pulled the hem of my t shirt up. I raised my arms to allow her to remove it from me completely. She sucked in her breath as eyes raked over me. Taking me in for the first time. I watched as her eyes landed on my tattoo above my heart. It was a kitten with tiger stripes over its body. I had gotten it the day we opened Bella Italia's doors for the first time for business. My other tribute to her. Her eyes filled with unshed tears and I cupped her cheek in my hand. I shook my head at her when her glassy eyes met mine. Silently telling her not to cry, showing her my love with my eyes.

I leaned down and kissed her softly

"Only ever you, Kitten" I whispered against her lips. Bella nodded then pushed me off her and stood up, I followed. I stood there, confused as to why she pushed me away. That is until she pulled her pants down to reveal a tattoo on her hipbone. It was one word in curvasive writing with stripes through the lettering: Tiger. I traced it with my fingertips, then leaned down and kissed it. She did the same with mine. Silently we undressed each other so that we were both standing absolutely naked in front of each other, staring at each other in the eyes.

I pulled her back towards me gently and leaned down and kissed her again, backing her slowly towards the bed and sat her down on the edge. I knelt down in front of her and trailed my lips down her neck and across her collarbone. I trailed even further until I reached her soft mounds. With one hand I trailed my finger up her side and across to her left breast. She gasped as I cupped it, arching into my hand. I gently laid her onto her back and leaned over her and took her right nipple into my mouth. She moaned and arched even further, pushing her nipple further into my mouth. I licked and nipped and teased her until she was writhing beneath me. I switched breasts and took the other nipple into my mouth, earning the same response from her.

I trailed my right hand down her side and over her smooth flat stomach, running it even further to between her legs. I pulled my mouth from her breast and looked up into her eyes, silently asking if it was ok to proceed. She nodded and closed her eyes. I cupped her sex in my palm and sucked in a breath at the heat I felt there. I was hard before, but now, now I was painfully hard.

I gently trailed my fingers between her lips, relishing in how wet she was for me. I kept my gaze on her face

"Open your eyes, baby. Please look at me" I whispered, my voice hoarse with want. She did as I asked. As soon as her eyes locked on mine, I slipped one finger into her heat. She gasped and bucked into my hand

"Edward" she whimpered "Please"

"Please, what, baby?" I asked

"More please" she gasped

"As you wish, my love" I pushed in another finger and my thumb found her nub. I pumped my fingers in and out of her gently; rubbing her clit as at each pump in. she was bucking into my hand more and more now. She was close, I could feel it. Her walls were starting to contract around my fingers and the most beautiful blush was starting spread across her face, down to her breasts. I was fascinated. All of sudden Bella stiffened as her orgasm crashed over her. She was moving her hips frantically against my fingers, her mouth open in a silent scream of ecstasy. I had never seen anything more exquisite.

She relaxed, her hands releasing the bed sheets that she had gripped tightly. I slowly pulled my fingers from her and brought them to my lips and ensuring she was watching me, I licked them clean. My eyes rolled back into my head. Her taste was the same as her smell. Heavenly. So sweet. She pulled me down and kissed me fiercely for several minutes. I couldn't hold back any longer. I needed to be inside her. Now

"Baby, I need you" I whispered

"You have me" she replied

"I need to be inside you. Are you ready?" I asked, trying to keep my last vestige of gentlemanly behaviour

"Yes, Tiger, yes. Please" she answered. I rolled away from her and grabbed the foil wrapper from my bedside drawer. She stopped me before I could tear it open and shook her head

"I'm on the pill and I'm clean. I want to feel you. All of you" that was all it took for the last of my control to leave me. I tossed the condom to the side and positioned myself between her legs. I looked at her to ask one last time if it was ok. She nodded and I moved forward slowly. My eyes closed as I slid into her. There was no other word to describe the feeling but: Home. I opened my eyes and found her watching me, love shining brightly in her beautiful brown eyes. I leaned down and kissed her. I pulled back and started a slow rhythm of moving in and out of her. The sensations were incredible. There was no other feeling like it. I felt safe, loved, whole, and complete. She met me thrust for thrust, her hips moving to meet mine in perfect synchrony. We were two parts of a whole.

"Faster, Edward, please" she panted below me. I sat back on my haunches and grabbed her legs and placed them over my shoulders

"Oh God, so good" I moaned "You feel so good, baby"

"Oh God, Edward, more, please!" I leaned forward with her legs still over my shoulders and this new position gave me more depth. I was close, so close. But I wanted to bring her there with me. I reached down between our bodies and without breaking my rhythm I started rubbing her clit. She bucked her hips and cried out in pleasure

"Oh yes! Yes! There! Harder, Edward!" I complied and started thrusting harder into her. I could feel my own orgasm creeping up. My stomach clenched in anticipation

"Cum with me, Bella. I'm so close! Cum with me, Baby!" I stroked her clit harder and faster, matching the force of my thrusts. I threw my head back and closed my eyes, taking in the pleasurable feelings and emotions going through me

"I'm…I'm…Oh God, Edward!" Bella screamed as I felt her walls tighten and pulse around me. She shattered in my arms and with one last thrust she took me with her

"Oh Fuck! Bella!" I roared through my orgasm. I rode out my orgasm, still moving my hips as I gathered her into my arms. Our breathing was laboured and coming out in gasps. I had never cum so hard in my life. The force of it nearly knocked me out cold. I pulled out of her slowly and we both whimpered at the loss of contact. I rolled to my back next to her and pulled her with me

"That…was…" I panted

"Intensely amazing" Bella finished. I hummed in agreement. It truly was. We lay there for several long moments, catching our breaths, calming our heartbeats. My fingers were tracing lightly along her spine and hers were running across my chest. She had her head in the crook of my shoulder and I was content.

We stayed wrapped up in each others arms, naked, as we fell asleep. This was my home. She was my home.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

**EPOV**

The sun was shining brightly when I awoke the next morning to my phone ringing incessantly. I gently extracted myself from Bella's arms and got out of bed, pulling my boxers as I went to retrieve my cell from the living room. I paused to look at the goddess in my bed and smiled in satisfaction to myself.

I glanced at the display before I answered. Emmett. I sighed and pressed the answer button

"Morning, Emmett"

"Morning, Lil Bro! How are you?" he boomed

"I'm fine. Why are you calling me at-" I glanced at the clock on my fireplace "8am on a Saturday morning?"

"Sorry, I just wanted to check in. I didn't realise that you were still sleeping" I sighed

"Yeah, I was. Its ok, I'm up now. What's up?"

"Got some good news for you, bro"

"Oh?" I asked, curious

"Rose and I got engaged last night" my eyebrows shot up in surprise

"Really? Wow. Congrats, man" I felt the electricity at my back and smiled to my self. My Kitten was up. I felt her arms come round and slide down my bare chest as she leaned down and pressed a kiss to my neck. I hummed in pleasure

"Edward? Are you there, bro? What are you doing?" I could hear Emmett talking to me, but I couldn't concentrate with Bella's lips on my skin. I pulled her round the sofa and sat her in my lap. She had the bed sheet wrapped around her gorgeous body, her hair a beautiful mess. I leaned forward and kissed her sweetly, she hummed against my lips

"Good morning, baby. Did I wake you?" I asked against her lips, my phone forgotten against my ear. That is until I heard

"HOLY SHIT! Is Bella there with you?" I startled and pulled the phone away from my ear, confused. I could hear Emmett's booming laughter through the speaker and so could Bella. I put the phone on speaker

"Yes, Em, Bella is here with me. Say hello, but keep it clean, you are on speaker" Bella blushed and leaned her head against my shoulder

"Good Morning Baby Girl!"

"Morning, Em"

"So how are you this morning? Sore?"

"Emmett!" I snapped

"What? I'm just being the concerned big brother!" I shook my head and looked down at Bella, who was now positively red

"Bella, baby, why don't you go and see if we have anything for breakfast? I'll join you in a minute" I wanted to spare her anymore embarrassment at the hands of my brother. She nodded, kissed me lightly on the lips and wandered off towards the kitchen. I removed the call from speaker and placed it back at my ear

"Emmett, can you refrain from embarrassing my girlfriend, please?" I asked as calmly as I could

"Sorry, man. But seriously, you guys did the deed last night, didn't you?" He asked. I rolled my eyes

"Yes, Em, we did. Happy now?" I answered

"Are you ok? Is she ok?" he was fishing. My brother, ladies and gentleman, the biggest gossip queen of the century!

"We are both fine, Em"

"Good, I'm glad. So…" he trailed off and I heard Rose in the background ask him to just ask already. I sniggered, knowing what was coming

"So, how was it?" he rushed out. I laughed out loud at that. It was obvious that it was Rose asking for the details. Men just didn't do that shit

"It was emotional" was all I said

"Emotional how? Did she cry? Is she ok?" I laughed as I heard Rose demand in the background

"It was an emotional experience and no she didn't cry. She's fine, Rose" I heard Rose sigh

"She is here if you want a word with her?" I offered

"Yes, please" I put the phone on speaker and carried it into the kitchen where I found my love swaying her hips to a tune only she could hear, I could see the outline of her body under the sheet and it caused my body to react, as it always did in her presence. I walked up behind her and wrapped one arm around her waist and held the phone in front of her with the other

"Rose" I whispered in her ear

"Hey, Rose"

"Bella! How are you, girl?"

"I'm fine, Rose. How are you? How's Cali?" I trailed my lips across her exposed collarbone and tightened my hold around her waist, pulling her tightly against me. I heard her breath hitch as she felt my erection against her back

"Cali is great! Hot. Guess what?" Rose squealed. I continued my ministrations, only now I was rubbing soft circles over her abdomen. Bella's breathing picked up. I trailed my hand up to her breast and brushed her nipple, hardening it. She gasped and leaned further into me. I moved my hips against her back, creating friction for my growing problem

"Wha…What, Rose" she breathed out

"Em asked me to marry him last night and I said yes!" I moved my hand back down her body and parted the sheet to gain access to her sex. I lightly stroked her lower lips, delighting in the fact that she was getting aroused

"Tha….Oh God" Bella moaned as I slipped one finger into her heat, her head lolled back onto my shoulder

"Bella? Bella, are you there? Did you hear what I said?" at this point I had slipped a second finger into her and was pumping them in and out and Bella was bucking her hips against my hand

"Bella?" Rose asked again. All Bella could do was moan in response

"O my God, are you two…?"

"I need you, Kitten" I whispered into Bella's ear. She moaned and moved her hips faster against my hand

"Now, Tiger. Please" She moaned in the most sexist voice, causing me to harden further

"Oh God, you are! Ewww! Can't you wait until we get off the phone at least?" Rose screamed down the phone

"Rose, Bella will call you later" I said in a tight voice and pressed the end button and placed the phone on the counter by the sink. I removed my fingers from her and spun her around to face me. I crashed my lips to hers and kissed her hard. I lifted her by her waist onto the breakfast counter and un-wrapped the bed sheet from her, allowing it to pool around her. I spread her legs as I massaged her breast and trailed kisses across her neck, collarbone and chest, all the way down to her stomach.

I knelt on the tiled floor before her and kissed her calves and thighs, making my way slowly to where I wanted to be the most. I was hard beyond belief and straining against my boxers, but I wanted to taste her first.

I pulled her forward, so that she was sitting right on the edge of the counter and then I buried my face in between her legs. I took one long lick and she bucked against me

"Oh Fuck!" she exclaimed

I licked again and again before driving my tongue into her. Her taste was as sweet as I remembered from last night. I brought one hand up to massage her breasts and the other to her thigh. I continued to lick and suck at her, pulling her clit into my mouth. I slid two fingers into her and started pumping, curling them slightly. I wanted her to cum. I needed her to cum quickly before I buried myself into her. She was rocking her hips faster and faster now and I could feel her walls pulsing, so I knew she was close. I nipped her clit again and that was all it took for her to shatter. I drove my tongue into her as her walls clenched around it. The feeling was indescribable

"Oh, Oh, OH! God! Edward" she screamed as she came. I pulled back and stood up, pulling down my boxers as I went. I pulled her to me roughly and slid in to the hilt in one movement. Her walls were still contracting from her orgasm so I had to remain still as she rode it out. My head fell back and my eyes closed as I felt her gripping onto my cock

"Oh god!" I moaned, almost losing my tenuous hold on my release from the feeling of her. I felt her pulsing subside and started rocking my hips against her. She gripped onto my shoulders and moved back and forth against me

"Harder, Edward, Faster!" she panted. I pulled almost all the way out and then slammed back into her, she cried out and dug her fingernails into my shoulder. The pain was pleasurable. I pulled back again and slammed back in again, picking up my pace

"Fuck me!" Bella screamed. I chuckled

"That's what I'm doing, baby" I replied in between thrusts. I felt the familiar coil tighten in my abdomen and knew that I was close

"I'm close, baby" I panted out, Bella sat up and trailed kisses across my shoulder and chest

"Me too. Please, Tiger, harder" she breathed out. I reached down and found her swollen clit and started to rub furiously. The coil in my lower stomach was ready to snap and I felt my balls tighten. I pulled her harder into me and continued to pound into her, feeling her walls start to pulse again

"Oh God, Yes! I'm there! Oh Fuck!" Bella cried. My pace was fast and furious now, chasing my release. I felt her walls contract as she threw her head back

"I'm coming! Oh God!" she screamed and bit into my shoulder. Her inner walls tightening impossibly tight, pulling my orgasm from me

"FUCK!" I screamed as my orgasm washed through me and into her. I moved my hips frantically as she held onto me tight. I collapsed against her as the waves of pleasure subsided, feeling weak. I slid out of her and onto the floor, my legs unable to hold me up any longer. I leaned back against the cabinets and closed my eyes, trying to catch my breath. I felt her slide off the counter and onto the floor beside me. I opened my eyes and rolled my head to look at her. She giggled

"Did I wear you out, Tiger?" I smiled lazily

"Yeah, you did, Kitten" I pulled her into my arms and kissed her lightly

"That was amazing, Tiger" she said against my lips

"It was and I can't wait to try and make it even better for you, baby" she pulled back, a surprised look on her face

"How can it get better? Four orgasms in a 24 hour time period? Can it get better than that?" I laughed and pulled her into me for another kiss

"It can only get better, not worse, right? The more we learn of each others bodies, the better it will get" she looked thoughtful for a moment, and then nodded her agreement. My stomach chose that moment to make itself know, followed by hers. We laughed and helped each other off of the floor

"Let's go out for breakfast" I said, holding out my hand. She took it and followed me into the bedroom.

We showered together, washing each other with teasing touches and sweet kisses. That of course led to round three, but hey, who expected anything less? The more I had of her, the more I wanted. Could you blame me? She was beautiful, kind, sexy, generous and she is my other half. My home.

The weekend went by too quickly. Now it was Sunday afternoon and Bella had gone back to her apartment to finish a deposition she needed for court next week. I was in my home office, finishing up some design proposals but I couldn't concentrate. I missed Bella. In the two day that she had been here, I had gotten used to her in my home. I knew it was too soon to move our relationship to that level, but boy did I want it.

I had been working for a couple of hours when my cell rang. I answered it absently

"Edward Cullen" I heard a giggle on the other end and my face broke out into a wide grin

"Do you always answer your private cell like that?" Bella asked, I laughed

"Not always, but it's an ingrained habit from answering my work phone"

"What are you up to, honey?"

"Just working on some design proposals. You?"

"Finished my depo. Missing you"

"I miss you too, baby. Can you come back over now?" I asked hopefully

"Sorry, honey. I wish I could, but I've just had a call from Alice, she's coming over for a chat" I sighed in disappointment. I guess I couldn't pull her away from her friends, not matter how much I just wanted her to myself

"Its ok, baby. Have fun with Alice. Any ideas what she wants to chat about?" I asked curiously

"No, but it may have something to do with Emmett and Rose's phone call yesterday I think" Crap. I had forgotten about that. Bella and I had been totally wrapped up in each other all weekend

"I had forgotten about that. I guess I should give Em a call and properly congratulate him" Bella laughed

"Yes. Yes, you should. How awful of you to ignore his good news because of some girl!" she teased

"I know, I know! I'm a bad brother. To be fair, the girl was pretty hot" I teased back

"Oh, really?" I hummed a yes

"And pray tell, what was so hot about her?" her voice had dropped into a low, sexy purr. I sat up straighter. I liked where this was headed

"Hmm…Her legs were pretty hot"

"And?"

"And her tiny waist…"

"Hmm?"

"And her perfect silk like skin, her perfect breasts"

"Mmhmm" by this point I was hard just thinking about her and our romp sessions. I could hear her breathing pick up and knew that she getting aroused by my words

"Her neck is exquisite, like a swan and her lips…Oh God, her lips. So soft, so sweet" I put my hand into my sweats and started stroking to relieve some of the pressure

"And?" she asked breathless

"And her taste…so sweet, so heavenly on my tongue and fingers-"

"Bella!" I heard through the phone. I heard a fumble and then a rustling

"Oh shit! Alice! Can't you see I'm on the phone! Did you have to scare the crap out of me?" I heard Alice laugh and then there was another fumbling

"Hey Edward!" Alice, it appeared, had wrestled the phone away from Bella

"Hey, Alice"

"So…what are you doing?" I rolled my eyes at her obvious attempt to gain information

"Just doing some work and talking to my girlfriend" I answered

"Well, by the looks of Bella, the talk was headed into some X-rated territory"

"Mary Alice!" I heard Bella exclaim and chuckled

"Well, if that's what you wish to believe, then there is nothing I can do to stop that is there?"

"Tiger, don't encourage her, please!" I chuckled again

"Sorry, Kitten. Anyway, I'll let you two to your chat. I need to go call Em"

"Bye, Edward!" Alice called out

"Bye, Alice. Bella?"

"Hmm?"

I'll talk to you tomorrow, baby. Goodnight"

"Goodnight, honey"

"I love you"

"I love you too" I hung up and dialled Emmett, who answered on the second ring

"Well, well, well, about time you surfaced" Emmett boomed down the phone

"Hi, Em. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good. How are _you_?" He asked, chuckling. I sighed. What was with everyone wanting to know about mine and Bella's sex life all of a sudden?

"I'm good too. Just finishing up some work. Are you home yet?"

"Yep, just pulled up to my apartment now. Where's Bella?"

"She's at her place. She had some work to do and Alice was going over to chat"

"So, she let you out of bed only because she had work to do? Cold, bro, cold" I sighed. Emmett could such a teenager at times, despite the fact that he was older than me

"No, Em, we both had work to do and tomorrow is Monday"

"What's that got to do with anything?" he asked

"Everything. She didn't bring her work outfit with her and I have an early start tomorrow. I'm on a site visit and then I have a meeting with Laurent at 11am" I explained

"So, in other words, you didn't want her to wear you out?" I sighed again and pinched the bridge of my nose

"Why is it that everyone seems to be so interested in our relationship all of a sudden?" I asked, frustrated. Emmett sighed on the other end

"It's not all of a sudden, bro; we've been interested from the beginning. We all have a vested interest in this working out for you two" Emmett said slowly

"What does that mean?" I asked, my interest piqued

"It means that you two weren't the only ones hurt in those eight years" I sucked in a breath at that. Of course our separation had affected our friends too. Em and Rose had split up to care for us. Alice and Jasper had split up while in college too. Our separation had not been ours alone

"I'm sorry, Em" I said quietly as this realisation sunk in

"Don't apologise, Edward. It's done and there was nothing you could have done to change it, not now and not then either. Just keep in mind when you get frustrated with us next time that the only reason we are doing it is because we love you guys and want you happy, is all"

"You're a great brother, Em. I never did thank you for all you have done in the last eight years, did I?" Emmett had stuck by me through thick and thin. He had been the one to recognise that I needed help when I had been at my lowest point and to get it for me. He had been the one to find me after my suicide attempt. He had helped me through my depression afterwards while still battling his own nightmares. My brother really was my hero

"It's no big thing, Ed. You're my baby bro, it's my job to watch out for you" Emmett replied, brushing it all off

"Still, Thank Em" I said softly. I heard Emmett suck in a deep breath on the other end

"You're welcome, Ed. Always" he replied, in an equally soft tone. I smiled

"I gotta go, Ed. Rose has just pulled up" I chuckled

"Sure thing, Em. Hey! Congrats man. I didn't get to say it properly yesterday" Emmett booming laugh came down the phone

"Erm…Yeah, Rose told me the reason why too, bro! Congrats to you too, I guess" I had to laugh at that

"Thanks, Em. Talk to you later"

"Later, bro"

**BPOV**

_**Meanwhile at Bella's**_

"Mary Alice Brandon, why are you here really?"

Alice and I have been sat here for twenty minutes since the phone call with Edward and she has yet to broach the subject of her visit to chat. I'm beginning to think there was no real reason in the first place. I sighed quietly to myself. I had really been enjoying that phone call too and now I am left strung up and turned on with no hope of release

"Rose called me yesterday" Alice hedged. Ah, so this was a recon mission to get details

"Yes, and?" I asked her, one eyebrow raised

"Annnd….?" I sighed again

"What do you want to know, Ali?" I gave in because it was simply easier to do so. Alice squealed and bounced up and down like a rabbit on crack

"Details! Did you guys really do it? Is he any good? How big is he? Did you enjoy it?" I held up one hand, palm facing up

"Whoa there, bunny. Slow down and ask your questions one at a time, please. Also, I want to make clear that I will not be going into detail as what we did is a very private thing between Edward and I, got it?" Alice nodded her head frantically and I couldn't help but laugh at her exuberance. I waited as she settled herself on the sofa next to me

"Ok, first question: Did you guys really do it?" I nodded my head and blushed

"Aww…I'm so happy for you guys! It's about time you had some happiness. How was it?" I rolled my eyes at her and though about my answer for a moment. I must have taken too long because Alice leaned forward and took my hand

"I'm sorry, sweetie, was it not that good for you?" she said sympathetically

"Oh no! No! That's not it…I was thinking of the most appropriate word for the experience and the only one that comes to mind right now is 'fan-fucking-tastic'!" I explained quickly.

Alice squealed and clapped her hands. I laughed and got up to grab a glass of wine. I was just returning from the kitchen with two glasses of wine when there was a knock on my door. I looked in the living room for Alice as I passed. It looked as if she had gone to the bathroom.

I opened my door to find a teenage boy standing with a large box, wrapped in foil like paper

"Yes?"

"Ms Swan?" he asked nervously

"Yes, that's me"

"I…um…have a package for you, ma'am" I looked at him confused, he didn't look like UPS and I knew that UPS did not deliver on a Sunday

"For me? But I haven't ordered anything" I was extremely puzzled. He shoved the box into my hands and turned to leave

"Wait! Don't you need me to sign anything?" I called after him. He shook his head

"No, ma'am, the man said you would know what it was for when you opened it" my blood chilled

"Man?" I asked hoarsely. I had a feeling I knew which man this kid was talking about. He nodded again

"Yes, ma'am. I met the man down the street and he asked me to deliver this. Gave me $50 to do it too" he said proudly

"What did this man look like?" Alice demanded from beside me. I startled for a moment as I hadn't heard her come up behind me

"Um…Tall,'bout 6'4", I think. Dark skinned, black hair, black eyes" I felt my knees going weak. Jacob. This box was from Jacob. I felt Alice take the box from me and thank the boy before shutting the door. She led me over to the sofa and sat me down

"Bella, sweetie, drink this, please"

I looked up to find Alice standing over me with a glass of water. I took the glass from her and as I did I found that my hand was shaking badly. She took the glass from me once I had taken a sip and set it down on the coffee table

"Do you want to open it?"

I nodded my head. I was afraid of what I would find in it, but I needed to see. Once Alice got the wrapping and tape off and opened the flaps I gasped in horror at what was inside. I pulled out the paper and read the note. My vision was blurring and my breathing was erratic. My chest felt tight and I couldn't get a full breath. I could just about hear Alice calling me frantically over the roaring in my ears

"Tiger" I whispered as the blackness engulfed me

**EPOV**

I had just finished eating a sandwich and was lounging in front of the TV when my cell rang. I smiled thinking it would be Bella. I grabbed it and pressed the answer button without looking at the display

"Hey, baby, has Alice released you yet?" I chuckled into the phone

"Edward! Help!" I sat up as I heard Alice's frantic voice

"Alice? Alice! What's wrong? Where's Bella?" panic started to unfurl in my veins

"Get over to Bella's now!" Alice cried. I had already slipped on my trainers and grabbed my keys

"I'll be there in five, Ali. Where's Bella? Please tell me she is ok?" I pleaded as I slid into my car and started the engine

"Just get here, Edward, please. She needs you" Well, that did absolutely nothing to quell my fear. I hung up the phone without saying another word and peeled out of the parking garage.

Five nerve wracking minutes later I pulled into a parking spot right out front of Bella's building. I almost took the door off of its hinges as I propelled myself out of the car. I raced up the steps and pounded on the door. It flung open to reveal a distraught looking Alice

"Bella" I rasped out. Alice gestured into the living room and I brushed past her. The sight in front of me froze my feet to the floor and stopped my heart. There was my Kitten, crumpled on the floor with tear tracks down her beautiful face. I strode over and scooped her up into my arms and headed to her bedroom where I gently laid her on her bed. I turned to face Alice then

"Get me a cold cloth and some water" I barked at her. She scurried off and returned moments later with my requested items. I gently laid the cold cloth on Bella's forehead and gestured to Alice to place the water on her bedside unit. I sat on the bed sideways and stroked her cheek softly with my fingertip. The ever present electricity running through my hand and up my arm

"What happened, Alice?" I whispered

"Do you want to wait for her to wake up and tell you?" I shook my head. I had a feeling it was bad news. My girl was not a weak person, so she had to of been sufficiently frightened to pass out cold like this

"She had a delivery" my head snapped up and my eyes met Alice's frightened gaze

"What kind of delivery?" I asked, fearing her answer.

Alice launched into the whole tale of what happened after I hung up from talking to Bella. The more she spoke, the more my rage grew. By the time she was done, I was ready to go out, find Jacob Black and beat the ever living shit out of him. The only thing that held me in place was that I knew that Bella needed me more right now

"Where is the box?" I asked.

Alice disappeared again and returned with a medium sized box and placed it on the floor at my feet. I stared at it for a long moment and then looked back at my love

"Alice, can you sit with her for a moment, please. I'm going to take this out to the living room and open it there, but I don't want her to be alone if she wakes" Alice nodded.

I rose from my seat and picked up the box and made my way out into the living room. I sat on the sofa and placed the box at my feet again. I pulled the flaps back and recoiled when I saw the contents.

It was a white wedding dress covered in a red substance, which I had a sinking feeling was blood. Who's blood, I wasn't sure of. Nestled with the dress was the retraining order Jacob had been served with and a note. I pulled out the note and unfolded it

**Bella,**

**You know as well as I do that no retraining order will keep me from seeing you in this dress.**

**I collected this for you from the Bridal store you visited. The lady was kind enough to tell me that it was one of the designs you loved, though why you didn't purchase it is beyond me. You will look gorgeous in this on our wedding day. The date is set, darling.  
>September 21<strong>**st**** 2010.  
>I will come for you, I promise. Cullen can't keep you from me. No one can, darling. You are mine.<strong>

**Yours **

**Jacob**

**PS: Sorry about the stains, I'm sure you can have them dry cleaned out. The stupid woman at the store was being a pain and wouldn't let me take the dress for you.**

I felt sick. This was far and beyond obsessive love. This was delusional! Jacob had injured and possibly killed a woman to retrieve this dress

"Oh God" I whispered to myself. I needed to go to the police now. Bella was in more danger than we originally thought. I pulled out my phone to call Officer Twain. I had just finished dialling when I heard a blood curdling scream from the bedroom. I dashed towards the sound, stashing my phone in my pocket as I went and my heart almost broke at what I found. Bella was thrashing around on the bed, screaming 'No! Stop! Please! Jacob, no!' Alice was holding onto her arms and trying to wake her up. I rushed over and crawled onto the bed, motioning to Alice to release her. I then wrapped my arms around Bella and whispered to her

"Shh, baby, it's me. I'm here, baby. Wake up, please. Wake up Kitten. Show me those beautiful brown eyes. Please, baby. Wake up for me"

I was sobbing by this point. Seeing her like this was killing me. Her pain was my pain and right now it was slicing through my insides. She slowly relaxed into my arms, but didn't wake. Instead she slipped into a more peaceful slumber. I lay there with tears streaming down my face and onto the pillow. I buried my face into the pillow and quietly sobbed as I held my beautiful girl. I felt so helpless. There was nothing I could do but hold her and that made me angry. I had to protect her. I just had to.

It seemed like hours later when I realised that Alice was stroking my hair in effort to calm me. I turned my face towards her and found she had also been crying

"I can't see her like this anymore, Ali. I want to kill that bastard for doing this to her" I whispered hoarsely. Alice nodded

"I know, Edward. It kills me to see her like this too. This has gone far beyond anything I imagined. He has really lost the plot this time" she said sadly

I slowly extracted myself from Bella and rose to sit up against the headboard

"Did you see the contents, Ali?"

"Yeah, she did too. That's what caused the panic attack"

I nodded absentmindedly. I continued to stroke Bella's hair, weighing our options. We now had a possible murder on our hands. Jacob had just kicked this shit up a notch. Well, ok a few dozen notches. I thought about where to go next and realised that I needed to involve the police now. I sighed and pulled out my phone again, dialling Officer Twain again. It rang several times before he answered

"Officer Twain"

"Officer Twain, this is Edward Cullen. I apologise for calling you so late, but we have a bit of a situation"

"Mr Cullen, good evening. It's quite alright. What can I do for you?"

I launched into the whole thing, picking up where I had left off on the last conversation with him. It took me a few minutes and he was quiet for a moment when I was done

"Do you have the box there now?"

"Yes, Officer. It arrived a couple of hours ago"

"I'll be there in ten minutes" I re-confirmed Bella's address with him and hung and dialled another number immediately

"Who are you calling now?" Alice asked

"An old friend" I replied as I waited for the call to connect.

I looked up at Alice and she had one eyebrow raised in question. I shook my head at her. I had just opened my mouth to explain when the call was answered

"'Lo?" I heard his sleepy voice

"Josh its Edward. I need to see you man, can you come to Bella's house now?" I wasted no time; I had no time to waste. My life was on the line, literally

"Ed, man, what's up?"

"I need your services ASAP. Can you get here soon?"

"Sure, man. Just give me the address" I recited Bella's address for the second time in ten minutes

"Alright, that's not to far from me. I'll be there in 15 to 20 minutes. Cool?"

"Cool, man. See you then" I hung up and sighed, running my hand through my hair. I was lost in my thoughts and was interrupted by a throat clearing. I looked up to find Alice staring at me expectantly

"What?" I asked baffled

"What do you mean 'What'? Are you gonna tell me what's going on and who all you called just now?" I sighed again and then explained about Officer Twain and Josh. Alice looked thoughtful for a few moment and then snapped her fingers

"We need a plan" she exclaimed. I stared at her like she had three heads, wondering what the hell she was going on about. She rolled her eyes and then explained

"For Bella, I mean" I still looked confused, so she elaborated

"Josh is in security, right?" I nodded

"So, I'm assuming you are planning on hiring him for Bella, right?" I nodded again

"Well, how do you plan on getting that past her?" she point at Bella inert form next to me

"She knows it was a possibility if thing got more intense. She met Josh last month"

"Oh. Well, in that case we'll all help" I nodded

"Call the gang, Ali. We need to get together and plan this out"

Ali jumped off the bed and went running into the living room to do as I requested. I glanced down at Bella and sighed. She looked so peaceful now, but the earlier image of her thrashing around and screaming was seared under my eyelids.

Half an hour later, all requested company was assembled in the living room when Alice came into Bella's bedroom to get me. I pressed on soft kiss on Bella's forehead and followed her out. The sight before me made me stop in my tracks for a second. Gathered in Bella's spacious living room were my parents, Emmett, Rose, Jasper, Josh and Officer Twain. Each person was sat wherever they could find a small square inch. The sight made my heart swell. Thank you god for my family and friends.

I strolled in and collapsed on the sofa next to my brother

"Hey, Em" I said clapping him on his shoulder

"Hey, Ed. You ok?" I nodded and sighed then shook my head

"Yes and no, Em" he looked at me quizzically

"I'm scared for her and I'm angry and I feel helpless and that makes me angry at myself" I blurted out. Em laughed and laid his large hand on my shoulder

"We'll keep her safe, Edward. She's all of ours family too and we love her too" I nodded in thanks then turned to face Officer Twain and started to explain the events of the evening to him.

I had been talking with Josh and Officer Twain when I felt the familiar electricity at my side. My eyes widened and my head snapped up to find a very confused Bella standing in the doorway gazing around her full living room. Her eyes met mine and silently questioned what was going on. I slowly stood from the couch and made my way over to her, pleading with my eyes for her to not freak out and to understand my reasons for doing this. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her to me, cradling her at my chest. She sighed and melted into my body

"I understand, Tiger" she whispered

"You understand what, Bell?" Rose asked

I turned us to face the room and I watched as understanding dawned on each face. Officer Twain, however still looked puzzled

"Oh. I get it. Never mind, as you were" Rose waved her hand in dismissal causing the gang to laugh. Like Jasper said, they knew about our silent convo's

"I don't get it?" Officer Twain chimed in, which just caused the gang to laugh harder

"Trust me, we'd be here all night if we tried to explain the phenomenon of Bedward" Josh informed Officer Twain whilst clapping his back.

I groaned at the stupid nickname. Bella pulled back and looked at me in sympathy, her eyes laughing at my discomfort. I shook my head at her in warning, growling under my breath. She giggled and quirked one eyebrow in a playful challenge, I growled again and swooped down to capture her soft lips with my own. She sighed into my mouth, which allowed me access with my tongue. I felt myself harden and pulled back. I really didn't want to be sporting wood with my parents in the room. I heard a throat clear behind me; I turned and found my father standing with an amused expression

"Sorry son. Didn't mean to interrupt, but I would like to check on Bella? Alice told me about the panic attack" I nodded and released her into his care as I went to speak with my mother

"Hello son. How are you doing?" my mother asked softly

"I'll be ok, Mom. I just need her to be ok first" I replied, she nodded and patted my cheek lovingly

"She will be, Edward as long as she has you and all of us here to help protect her" I answered with a tight smile, images of Bella screaming in her sleep earlier flashed through my mind once again.

I chatted with Mom for a bit; catching her up to speed on what had been going on with Bella and with my life in general. We had just started discussing business when she asked me about the restaurant

"How is it doing?"

"Really good, actually. Last weeks figures alone show an increase in profits, despite the climate"

I felt the electricity at my back as Bella re-entered the room with my father, making her way over to me and started praying that my mother would not bring up anything else. I should have known better

"When are you going to tell Bella about ownership?" I sucked in a breath as at that exact moment I felt Bella lay her hand on my back

"Hello Esme"

I watched as my mother and Bella hugged and greeted each other with warmth and it made me smile. I exhaled a large breath, thinking the topic of restaurant ownership had been dropped. Alas, my luck was not that great

"What's this about ownership?" Bella asked and I internally groaned

"We were just talking about the restaurant, dear" Mom answered as I tried to motion to her with my eyes to drop it, unfortunately she did not look my way in time

"Oh, I already know he owns it with Em" Bella replied cheerfully

"Oh, dear, I know you know that, I was asking him when he was going to tell you about your sh-"

"MOM!" I exclaimed.

I frantically shook my head at her and she looked at me confused for a moment, then understanding dawned on her that this was not a topic we had discussed yet, but it was too late

"My what? Edward?" I looked from my mother to Bella and sighed.

It seemed it would have to be discussed now. Bella looked at me, silently telling me with her eyes that I needed to tell her now. I nodded and took her hand, leading her into her bedroom. I threw a glare at my mother over my shoulder and she gave me an apologetic look.

I shut the door behind us and sat Bella down on the bed. I started pacing back and forth, gathering my thoughts and deciding how to tell my love one of my biggest secrets

"Edward? What was your mom talking about in there? My what?" Bella asked. I stopped pacing and pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration

"Just spit it out, honey. Please? I'm imagining all sorts of scenarios here and some not so pleasant" Bella pleaded

I sighed and went and sat next to her on the bed, taking her hand in mine, relishing in the jolt of electricity at her touch. I stroked her knuckles with my thumb, took a deep breath and began

"Well, you know that Em and I own Bella Italia, along with two other places jointly, right?" Bella nodded

"We have a third partner in Bella Italia, baby" Bella looked at me confused. I would not tell her about Hales. That was not my secret to share

"They don't know that they own a third of it. Their shares of the profits, including my shares have been deposited into an account in trust under their name and the money has been accruing for three years now. The trust is set to release to them upon my command or in the event of my death" I paused to look at Bella and found she was looking at me in understanding. She knew, she wanted to hear it from me though

"Who, Edward?" she asked softly. I inhaled a deep breath and released it through my nose

"You, baby"

**BPOV**

I stared at Edward, speechless.

_Had he just told me that I owned a third of his restaurant?_

_He had been putting my share and his of the profits into a trust account in my name?_

_Why?_

My mouth opened and closed like a fish. Edward simply gazed back at me, shifting nervously

"Why?" was all I could manage

Edward's face fell and he cringed

"I love you is why" he replied, his eyes falling from mine to the floor. I pulled his gaze back to mine by pulling his chin

"I know you love me, but you didn't know that when you did that, so why?" I asked

"Bella, I've always loved you. At the time I did it because I missed my best friend and no matter how hurt and angry I was at you, I still loved you and I didn't know how else to show you that. The trust is set to turn over to you in the event of three things" He paused and I nodded in encouragement

"The first is in the event of my death, as I mentioned" I sucked in a sharp breath, pain radiating through me at the thought and he smiled at me weakly

"The second is if I command it at anytime and the third…" he paused again, looking away from me again; I pulled his face back to me once again

"The third?" I prompted

"The third is in the event of your marriage, with stipulations" I cocked an eyebrow at him in a silent question of the stipulations. He bowed his head and told me

"The stipulations are that if you marry, the trust would be released into your care for your future children and further shares will be deposited into a separate account for you to use as you wished" he finished, I gasped.

He had done all of that for me? I was amazed at the lengths he went to for me, the love and dedication he showed to me and our friendship, even though we had no contact at that point. He had done all of this despite his anger at me. I felt in awe of this amazing man and his huge heart

"How much?" I whispered, slightly afraid to find out the figure after three years

"$1.2 million with interest at last count" he replied quietly

I stood up and made my way over to the window. I wrapped my arms around my middle and wished that I could wrap my head around what he had just told me. I felt the electricity move at my back and fade as Edward quietly left the room. He knew without me having to tell him that I needed some time to process all of this.

_What did it really mean to me?_

Did I really care about the money? No, I didn't. It was the gesture that touched me the most. Did I love Edward and more or less? Definitely not. I knew I loved him fiercely before he told me this, so this didn't change anything. With that thought in mind, I turned back to the living room.

I was surprised to find that Officer Twain and Josh had left, leaving only our friends and family. I followed the electric current that always pulled me towards Edward into the kitchen and found him sat hunched over at my breakfast bar, nursing a cup of coffee. I knew he could feel me behind him, but he didn't move or acknowledge my presence for several moments. I waited for him to speak first. I knew what I wanted to tell him, but I also knew he doubted telling me, as if I would be angry at him for it. Silly man

"I'm not sorry, Kitten. I would do it again. All I ever wanted was your safety and happiness, even when I was hurt and angry. I love you and just want you to know that"

"I know that, honey. I'm just amazed at you"

"How so, baby?" he turned to face me then

"This doesn't change how I feel about you. I love you and always will, but what you have done, without me knowing and even without and hope of something to gain in return, it…it amazes me, awes me" he gazed at me, silently asking with his eyes if I truly wasn't angry

"No, Honey. I'm not angry. I love you and thank you, but, I want you to know that the money means nothing to me"

"I know that, baby, but it's yours nonetheless"

"What the hell are you talking about, bro?" I turned and found Emmett and Rose in the doorway. Emmett was looking between Edward and I with slight dread on his face and Rose was simply looking confused. I wondered how long he had been listening

"I told her about ownership" Edward replied as he turned to face Emmett.

I saw Emmett's face blanch as his eyes flitted to Rose for a moment. Hmm…how odd, I thought to myself

"You didn't" Emmett said

"He did, Em" I replied for him, Emmett turned his head slowly between Edward and I then shook his head and backed out of the kitchen with one last parting shot

"Tell her all of it, then. Rose, I need to speak to you. Now" he turned to go, but Edward called him back

"You don't have to, Em. I did it because I was ready" Em simply nodded and carried on out the door with Rose in tow.

I walked around the breakfast bar and poured myself a cup of coffee too before I asked Edward what Emmett meant by 'Tell her all of it'. Edward hesitated and then blurted out

"Rose has the same set up with Hales"

"You mean…" he nodded

"Yeah" he sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

I chuckled and moved closer to him. He wrapped his arms around me as I stood between his legs

"You two really are something else, you know that right?"

He laughed and pressed a kiss on my neck, sending shivers through me. I wound my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. He cupped my face and pressed his lips to mine, sending jolts of pleasure through me down to my lady parts. I leaned further into him and he deepened the kiss, licking my bottom lip. I moaned and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth. All of sudden there was a scream from the direction of my bedroom

"YOU. DID. WHAT?"

We pulled away and looked back and forth between the bedroom and each other

"It appears that Emmett has informed Rosalie of her ownership status" Edward commented in an amused tone

"Yes, it does" I replied, equally amused

"Too bad she reacted like a banshee" I slapped him on the arm

"What? I'm just glad you didn't react that way, makes me realise I have it a thousand times better than Em! Ha! My girlfriend is much better than his!" he chortled

I couldn't help but laugh at his slightly childish display of sibling rivalry, it was so cute. After the stress of the day, it was nice to see him relax some. His face turned serious all of a sudden

"Josh thinks you should consider protection whilst the police send out an APB for Jacob" he said lowly, I nodded

"I think it would be best. The delivery tonight shows that he has gone too far not to consider it"

"Thank you, baby" He pressed a chaste kiss on my lips, I however had another thing on my mind

"Edward, I want you to consider the same, please" I said softly, Edward pulled back slightly and looked at me in surprise

"Why? I'm in no danger" I shook my head

"Yes, honey, you are. He has threatened you three times now. I couldn't stand it if something happened to you"

He caressed my cheek, and then pulled me in for another kiss. This kiss was loving and slow. Chaste compared to others as there was no tongue involved

"Ok, baby. I'll talk to Josh about it tomorrow" I exhaled in relief

"Thank you, Tiger" I whispered

"I love you, Kitten" he whispered back

"I love you too"

"Oh God, get a room you two!"

We pulled apart to find Alice, Jasper, Carlisle and Esme standing in the doorway, looking at us in amusement

"We have one, but we were trying to keep in mind that you all were still here" Edward replied, I, of course, blushed.

They all laughed and said they were taking off now. We moved to each person, hugging them all goodbye

"We assume you will be staying tonight, Edward?" Carlisle teased

"Well, she did have a panic attack earlier, I thought it would be best if I stayed to make sure she was ok" Edward teased back, I slapped his arm lightly and hugged Esme goodbye

"Call if you need anything, sweetie"

Esme whispered in my ear, I nodded and hugged her tighter. I had always wished that Renee treated me as Esme did. Esme had always mothered me, whereas Renee tried to control me. Once I returned from LA, Renee had taken it upon herself to 'steer me in the right direction of life'. The problem was, her right direction and mine differed greatly. It was only recently that I had decided enough was enough.

Ten minutes later the whole gang had left and Edward and I were left alone. We collapsed on the sofa and cuddled for a few minutes in silence. The stress of the day and the discussions which had taken place weighed heavily on us. Edward informed me that each member of our family was going to be watching over us. Edward had Josh upload a GPS app onto my phone whilst I was asleep, which allowed me to be tracked at anytime, as long as my phone was turned on. Emmett would be meeting me in the mornings to take me to work as he had the most flexible schedule. Edward, Alice, Rose and Jasper would take it in turns to meet me after work and for lunch. In addition to this, Josh would have one or two of his men tailing me wherever I went.

I thought it was all in vain. Something inside me told me that if Jacob wanted to get to me, no amount of protection would stop him. He was resourceful when he wanted to be. However, I did not voice any of these concerns to Edward. I didn't need to. He knew. He could read it in my face. This caused him to hold me tighter. We headed to bed at 10pm. We were both exhausted and fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillow, wrapped around each other.

I could only hope Jacob would be caught soon. I didn't want anyone harmed, least of all Edward. I sent a prayer up to the heavens as I fell asleep

_Please, keep him safe_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

**BPOV**

I woke in the dim light of early morning feeling safe and warm. I didn't know what had woken me, but the feeling was a pleasant one.

I rolled over, still in Edward's arms, and lay facing him. He was awake and watching me, a sweet smile playing on his lips

"Good morning, baby" he whispered, trailing a finger across my cheek and down my jaw

"Morning, honey. How long have you been awake?"

His fingers continued down to my neck and collarbone, sending warmth through my body. He followed the line of his fingers with his lips

"Hmm…A while. I was listening to you talk" I groaned

"What did I say this time?" he chuckled and continued trailing kisses across my collarbone

"You said you love me" I rolled my eyes

"You already knew that"

"It's still nice to hear"

He shifted in the bed and his lips moved down to the swell of my breasts. I moaned at the jolts of pleasure coursing through me. He lifted the hem of my tank top and slid his hand underneath to cup my right breast, brushing his thumb across the nipple as he licked around the nipple of my left breast. I arched up off the bed, my hands fisting themselves in his hair, pulling him closer.

I ran my hands up and down his back, trailing my nails across his spine, he moaned as his lips wrapped themselves around my nipple. I gasped at the feeling and felt myself grow wetter by the second. He ghosted one hand down to my stomach and circled my navel softly before slowly making its way to the waistband of my boy shorts. He caressed the top of my waistband once, twice, three times before sliding one finger into them. His finger traced my lower lips, feeling the wetness there. He pulled away and looked into my eyes

"So wet for me, baby" I moaned and arched my back

"Always" I replied

He pulled his finger out and hooked it onto my shorts, asking me with his eyes for permission to remove them. I nodded and he slowly pushed them down. I lifted my hips and helped him remove them completely. I laughed breathlessly as he threw them across the room without looking away from me. I moved my hand around to his front, slipping my hand into his boxers and cupped his balls. He moaned and dropped his head into my chest. He was hard for me already. I traced one finger up his shaft, and then did the same as him, asking permission with my eyes to remove his boxers. He nodded then helped me remove them, giving them the same treatment as my shorts. He then sat me up and removed my tank top. That too went flying as he bent and took my breast into his mouth, guiding me back onto my back as he did.

He continued to lick and suck at my breasts as he teased my lower lips. I softly stroked his shaft as I rocked my hips against his hand. He finally slipped one finger into my heat and the pleasure caused me to gasp and grip him tightly. He growled into my breast and that sent vibration down to my pussy, making me even wetter. He pulled back as he felt the rush of liquid

"Jesus, baby, I need you so bad" he panted as he moved to kiss me on my lips.

I attacked his mouth ferociously, pulling him as close as I could get by his hair. My hips rocked back and forth as he pumped not one, but two fingers in and out of me. I could feel my orgasm getting ready to strike. The coil tightened to an excruciating level, making me rock faster and him to pump faster. He flicked my clit and that was all it took for my orgasm to rush through me. I broke away from his lips and screamed his name as I came.

Edward continued to pump his fingers, bringing me down gently as he placed soft featherlike kisses across my face, jaw and neck. Once the spasms had subsided he pulled away and looked at me directly

"You are so beautiful, Bella, but when you cum, you are beyond beautiful"

"Edward, I need you. Inside me, now" I panted

Edward nodded and positioned himself at my entrance. He rocked his hips slowly forwards and slipped his tip inside me before pulling back. He looked deep into my eyes as he brought his hips forward once again and whispered 'I love you' as he finally slid inside me. I closed my eyes at the feeling. I felt stretched, full and complete.

He started a slow rhythm of moving inside me. He held himself on his arms, his head fell forward and his eyes closed. I watched in rapt fascination as he sped up. His eyes still closed a look of intent concentration on his beautiful face. He opened his eyes and met my gaze. I read the love there and I'm sure he could read my love for him in my eyes

"You feel so good, baby. So warm, so tight. God, so wet" he moaned

"All for you, my love. Only you" I replied

"Yes, baby, yes"

His movements sped up a little more and he slipped one hand in between us to rub my clit. I arched my back and moaned. The feelings rushing through me were intense. It had never been like this before with any of my other boyfriends and certainly never with Jacob. I met him thrust for thrust with my own hips. Edward leaned forward and placed light kisses across my chest as he continued to thrust into me and circle my clit. I felt the familiar coil tighten again and moved my hips against him faster

"Faster, Edward. Please, harder" I panted

He growled and started to thrust harder and faster. Each thrust into me brushed against my g-spot and before I could take another breath I came. Hard and fast

"Fuck, fuck FUCK! Yes, Edward, yes!" I screamed as I came

Edward thrust into me twice more and came with a roar of my name. He collapsed onto me and I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close as the last waves of my orgasm subsided.

We lay like that for some time, both of us trying to catch our breaths until he eventually moved off of me to my side, pulling me to him as he went

"Wow" he whispered. I giggled

"Wow indeed, Tiger" he laughed then tickled me, making me squeal

"Stop! Stop!"

Edward stopped tickling me; instead he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on my forehead

"What time is it?" he asked, I glanced over my shoulder to my alarm clock

"7am" he jolted up

"Shit! I have to be on a project site at 9am!" he exclaimed jumping up from the bed, taking the comforter with him.

I lay there stunned for a moment until I looked up to find him staring at me, his eyes dark and hooded. I glanced down and realised that as he has taken the comforter, he had left me bare. I was lying naked in all my glory

"Ah, Ah, Ah, Tiger, we don't have time for another round. You need to go home and get changed and I need to get dressed for work too"

His eyes flashed with disappointment then turned mischievous

"Care for a shower, Kitten?" he purred at me. I felt my body react

"I would love to, but don't you have to change?" I was up for it if he was. I could never get enough of him

"Eh, so I'll shower here, and then change at home. The benefits of showering here are far greater" he shrugged and waggled his eyebrows at me. I laughed and rose from the bed, following him into the bathroom

Needless to say, it was a very satisfying shower!

I had just finished a conference call with a client in San Francisco when a knock sounded on my office door. I looked up to find someone I never thought I would see, least of all in my office

"Hello, Bella"

"Tanya? What are you doing here?" I leaned back into my chair in surprise as she strolled in and collapsed into one of my guest seats

"I came to talk to you about Kate"

"Tanya, you do know that I can't discuss my clients and their cases with you, right?"

She laughed and crossed her legs. She still dressed like a slut. Short black leather skirt and a deep purple tank top with black boots seemed to be her outfit of choice for today's meeting

"I know that, but I was hoping you would help me to convince her to drop the counter-sue" my eyebrows shot up

"And what makes you think I would even consider doing it?" Tanya grinned evilly at me

"Because I have a message for you from some you used to care about and you would do well to heed it"

I felt a chill run through me at her words. I reached down into my open drawer and dialled my speed dial one. I needed to feel him here. I had a bad feeling about this conversation. I faintly heard Edward answer in his usual businesslike manner

"Tanya, this is not a good idea. Why are you getting out of this by getting involved?"

"I'm getting a good payout. Plus, it makes you suffer, so it's an all round win in my books" She chuckled darkly

"Is it all about money? Does your relationship with your sister mean nothing to you at all?" I heard Edward's voice frantically on the phone in my drawer telling me to hang on, he was on his way. Tanya snorted and raised one eyebrow at me

"I know that you know all about my so called relationship with Kate and to be honest, no, I don't really give a fuck about it. She has always been a thorn in my side and now I have the means to remove her permanently" I felt my blood run cold at that

"What does that mean and Tanya, I have to warn you that you are speaking to a lawyer right now"

"Oh I know, that's what makes this so fun"

"What's the message, Tanya; get it over with, please. I am a busy person" I finally sighed.

I had to get her out of here before Edward arrived. There was no telling what he would say or do in his rage. Tanya leaned forward and slid a manila envelope across my desk at me

"He wants to meet with you. Alone"

My door crashed open and Edward stood in my doorway, panting heavily as if he had run the whole six blocks from his office to mine. I saw the rage in his eyes grow as his eyes fell on the envelope in front of me. He looked back and forth between Tanya and I before walking slowly forward, shutting the door behind him with a slam. Tanya jumped up from her seat and started to make her way towards him

"Eddie, baby? What are you doing here?"

Edward's hand shot up, palm up in a stop motion as his eyes met mine, silently asking if I was ok. I nodded and rose from my seat shakily

"Baby?" Edward whispered, his eyes still silently asking me if I was ok

"I'm ok, honey. Tanya was just leaving" I watched as Tanya's face coloured red from rage

"Eddie! How can you do this? You love me! Eight years I have spent following you, eight years of our relationship! You're throwing it down the drain for someone who was never there for you?" Tanya screeched

"ENOUGH!"

Edward roared as he spun to face Tanya, the feral rage on his face fierce. Tanya fell silent and stared at Edward with wide eyes. She was afraid of him. Her eyes flitted to me to see if I had the same reaction. My face was impassive. I knew that no matter how enraged Edward became, he would never hurt me. He was and always would be my protector, not attacker. No, that job was now Jacobs.

I also knew that one touch from me would calm Edward immeasurably, but I held back. This confrontation was a long time coming. It had to happen

"Tanya, you have fucked with my life for the last time! I told you to stay away from Bella and me and you failed to listen. Again! When you were messing with me and my head, I could take it, because it was just me. But the moment you involved Bella in your twisted game you crossed a line" Edward's voice was low, menacing and it was turning me the fuck on!

"But-"

"No 'Buts', Tanya. I told you eight years ago to leave me alone. I told you then to leave Bella alone. I warned you in school to leave Bella alone when you tried to search for her and I warned you time and time again to leave her out of this. It. Ends. Now! You are playing with my life again and I refuse for you to do that anymore. Bella is my life, stay out of it!" I watched in awe as Edward tried to control his rage by clenching and unclenching his fists

"But, Eddie, you love me" Tanya whispered

"No, Tanya, I don't. I never have. You need help, woman. What we did in high school was stupidity on my part. I have regretted it ever since. I'm sorry if that hurts your feelings, but it's the truth. I have always and I always will love Bella" Edward sighed and ran his finger through his hair

"WHAT? No! You don't! You love me! Not her! Never her! Where was she when you were high on drugs or drunk out of your mind? Where was she when you tried to fuck every pussy in LA, including mine? Huh? Where the fuck was she?" Tanya screamed. She whirled to face me and pointed a finger at me, advancing in my direction

"You! You think you are so high and mighty? Even back in school you thought you were too good for other people. You and your stupid motley crew of friends! I saw the potential in Edward. Me! Not you! And then, just because he decided he wanted to be with me, you decided all of a sudden that you wanted him too! You bitch! I'll kill you for taking him from me!"

She launched herself at me, but didn't get far as Edward caught her by her waist and flung her away from me into the opposite wall. Edward stood with his back to me in a protective stance and snarled at her

"You try that _one_ more time Tanya and I will forget that my mother taught me to never hit another woman. You even _think_ about touching one hair on her head and trust me when I say this, I. Will. End. You! Understood?"

His voice was cold and threatening as he spoke to her; however it changed to warm and loving as he turned to me, his eyes softening as they met mine

"Are you ok, baby?" he asked as he stroked my cheek. I nodded and he turned back to face Tanya, his voice once more turning cold

"Leave. Now"

Tanya pushed off from the wall, still looking frightened of Edward, but she still sneered at me

"Read the letter and remember what I said"

With that she turned and left my office, slamming the door closed behind her. Edward turned and pulled me into his arms and stroked my back in soft soothing circles. His touch did nothing to calm my libido. I was so turned on by him and I needed him to fuck me right now. I lifted my head and looked up at him, the lust clearly written in my eyes

"Baby, are you ok?" he asked

"I want you" I answered firmly

I trailed my hand down and cupped him. His erection grew the moment my hand met his cock

"Now" I demanded and his eyes darkened in lust

"Bella…" he whispered in a voice full of want

"Edward, fuck me. Here and now" I whispered back as I started to stroke him

His head fell back and he groaned and then he bent and kissed me. Hard. His tongue snaked out and he pushed it into my mouth with force. I battled with his tongue with mine, fighting for dominance as I backed towards my desk. He pulled away panting

"Tami?" he asked

I spun and dialled Tami's line

"Yes Izzy?" she answered

"Tami, hold my calls for the next half hour" I said

"Sure, Izzy" she replied

"Thanks" I breathed and hung up the phone

I turned back to Edward and beckoned him over with one finger. He stalked towards me, the look in his eyes so hungry that the heat in me turned up a few notches. He grabbed me by my hips and pushed me up onto my desk. He spread my legs and stepped in between them. Then he bent and kissed me again as his hand trailed up my leg to my thigh and then cupped my sex. I moaned into his mouth and shifted my hips so that his hand pressed against me more firmly. I pulled him towards me with his tie and with my other hand I unbuckled his trousers, unzipped him and then shoved my hand into his boxers and gripped him. He groaned and pushed his cock into my hand.

He broke away from my lips and trailed kisses down my neck, to my chest until he reached my breast, taking it into his mouth and sucking my nipple over my shirt. I arched and gasped at the sensations I felt shooting from where his mouth was right down to my pussy. I was so wet already, but his mouth on my sent a rush of my juices into my panties soaking them. He felt them dampen as he stroked my clit

"Fuck baby, so wet" he gasped against my breast

"Need you, Edward. Now" I moaned back

He stepped back and pulled my panties down and off me. He then gave his trouser and boxers the same treatment and stepped back in between my legs. He was hard and standing to attention and looked so glorious that I moaned at the sight of him. He gripped onto my hips and slammed into me hard, filling me completely, making me cry out in pleasure

"Shh baby, you need to be quiet. This is going to be hard and fast so hold on tight" he whispered against my lips as he held himself still inside me

"Move, Edward" I answered as I shifted my hips against him, making him groan

He started to move inside me, slamming into me, pounding a hard and fast rhythm. I knew this wouldn't last long so I licked my thumb and trailed it down my body and onto my clit, pressing down and rubbing in slow gently circles

"Fuck baby, so hot, so tight" he moaned when he saw my movement

He flexed his hips, thrusting into me over and over again, tightening the coil in me. I could feel it coming. He was hitting my spot just right that my walls started to contract around him

"So close, honey…I'm so close" I groaned as he gathered me close to him

He was close too I could tell. His thrusts sped up

"I'm almost there baby, cum with me, cum on my cock, please baby. Cum. Now!" he gasped

He pulled out and slammed back into me. Hard. Once again making me cry out in pure pleasure. I started to rub my clit faster and faster until I felt my walls grip him tightly and my orgasm crashed through me so hard and fast making me gasp out his name with the little breath I had left. He thrust into me twice more and I felt his cock throb and pulse as he too joined me over the edge

"Fuck, Bella, Fuck, fuck, fuck!" he called as he came into me, filling me with his seed

He slowed the movement of his hips as we both came down from our highs, panting breathlessly with him draped over me. We lay there for some time before he finally pulled out of me, making us both whimper at the loss, and stepped back to pull on his trousers and boxers again as I pulled down my skirt and located my panties. I unfortunately could not put them back on as they were soaked so I turned and stuffed them into his pocket causing his breath to catch

"You're going commando, baby?" he asked with a smirk

"Have to. Panties are to wet for me to put back on" I answered with a wink

"Do you _want_ me to fuck you again, baby?" he growled, sending a shot of pleasure through me

"Yes" I replied simply

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair

"We don't have time baby. I have an appointment in an hour in Upper West Side, but tonight…tonight you are mine" he said as he pulled me into him and kissed my lips gently

"Always" I replied

He pulled back and sighed, running his hand through his hair again. I saw him eye the manila envelope on my desk and I followed his gaze. I rounded my desk and picked up the envelope, turning it over in my hands to see if there were any instructions on the outside. There wasn't, the outside was plain. I looked up and found Edward staring at the envelope. He met my gaze and nodded. I opened the envelope and pulled out a folded sheet of paper and several Polaroid's. I flipped through the pictures; they were all of me at various venues and with various people. I felt sick. I sank down onto my chair and pushed the pictures at Edward, who picked them up and shuffled through them, each one causing his jaw to tighten more and more. I opened the paper and read the note

**Bella,**

**This is getting beyond ridiculous now. Come back to me or the next person to be hurt will not be some dressmaker, but someone you LOVE.**

**If that is the only way for me to get you away from him, I will take it. **

**Meet me at 2pm at the pier today. Alone.**

**Yours**

**Jacob **

My hand shook as I finished reading the note. I set it down on the table and pushed it towards Edward too. I glanced at the clock and saw that the time read 3.10pm. I had missed the meeting. Shit.

**EPOV**

He had wanted to meet her? Fuck! And she missed it. I was thankful that our…er…activities had caused her to miss the meeting, there was no way in hell I would have allowed her to go; especially not alone, no way, no how. The guy was insane for even thinking it would happen. I looked back at Bella and found her staring at the pictures again. There were so many; ones of her alone, of her with Alice and Rose and of her and I together. There were a few of me, some with the six of us together; there was even one with Bella and my mother. This guy was sick. Sick and twisted. I needed to speak with Office Twain and Josh; I needed to step up her security.

I left Bella about 10 minutes later. I needed to get to my site meeting and I wanted to make those calls without her around. The game had just stepped up and I needed to step up with it. I drove down the 1-90 towards the Spencer project site and turned on my Bluetooth and dialled Josh first. The call rang several times before he answered

"Readon"

"Josh, it's me Edward"

"Hey, man. What's up? You sound weird"

"Another note"

"Shit. When?"

"About two hours ago. Tanya brought it to Bella's office"

"Tanya? Tanya Denali? The crazy ass bitch that nearly killed Kate? That Tanya?"

"Yeah, the one and in the same"

"Well, fuck, how does she know Bella?"

I sighed and then told him the whole thing. I told him about meeting Tanya in high school and how she had ridiculed mine and Bella's friendship and twisted her relationship with me to Bella, causing Bella to run. I told him about sleeping with Tanya, my breakdown after Bella left. I told him everything. He was silent for a few moments once I had finished and then he whistled

"Fucking hell, Ed! That's some history"

"I know"

"Shit. You really did all of that?"

"Yeah. I'm not proud of any of it, but it was the only way I could deal with it. It was the only way I felt numb from the hurt, you know?"

"Shit…I mean, yeah I knew you were hurting over something when we were in college, but fuck, I didn't expect it to be that intense. I mean, you tried to commit suicide! I mean, that's….that's…Fuck!"

"Like I said, I know and I'm not proud of any of it, but it's what I did to deal"

"So, what did the note say?"

"He wanted to meet her at the pier at 2pm today. Alone"

"Tell me she didn't go"

"She didn't go. I was with her until about 10 minutes ago"

I looked into my rear view mirror and saw a black SUV tailing me. Figuring he wanted to pass me, I pulled to the left a bit more and signalled for him to pass. He didn't. Instead he moved to stay with me, pulling further into my ass. I felt a tingle of fear. Something was wrong

"Josh, I'm being tailed"

"What? Where the fuck is your guard?"

"I thought they were behind me, but quite obviously not"

"Of all that is…hang on, let me call him"

The phone beeped to tell me that Josh had put me on hold. I waited for a few seconds and then he finally came back on the phone. The SUV was still up my ass

"Edward, I don't want you to panic, but Sam was just run off the road. He's ok; he managed to keep control of the car"

"What? Did he see who it was?"

"He said it was a black SUV, Oregon plates"

I pressed my foot on the accelerator and pulled forward enough to see the plates on the car behind me. Fuck, Oregon plates

"Josh, the fucker is behind me now"

"Are you sure-"

That was all I heard before the car behind me rammed into the back of me, sending my car spinning out of control

"J, call Bella! Make sure she's ok!"

I screamed into my headset as my front bumper nipped a tree and the car flipped over onto its head. I could hear glass shattering and my forehead hit my steering wheel once before my airbag was deployed. My neck snapped backward with force as my face hit the airbag and the back of my head hit my headrest so hard that I saw stars. I could hear people shouting and the sound of sirens, but I couldn't see anything. I could vaguely hear Josh frantically calling my name in my ear, but the blackness was closing in on me fast, making me unable to respond. My last thought before I lost consciousness was Bella and with a whispered 'I love you Kitten' my world faded to black.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**BPOV**

You know that moment when you feel as if something is wrong but you can't put your finger on what exactly. Yeah, that was what I was feeling just before my cell rang. Edward had left to make it to his meeting nearly an hour ago and for the last 20 minutes I kept having these niggling sensations in my gut telling me something was off. The thing was, with everything that had been going on, I couldn't work out exactly to what this feeling was for so when my cell rang I immediately jumped at the sound and answered it without looking at the display

"Isabella Swan"

"Bella, Bella, Bella, why didn't you come to meet me?"

I froze in my chair. Jake. My mind whirled with thoughts and I debated what to tell him so as not to flare up his temper anymore than it already was

"Jake, I was busy and you didn't give me a lot of notice for the meeting" I replied calmly

"You weren't too busy to see Cullen this afternoon, were you?" he snorted and I stiffened

"Edward arrived just as Tanya was leaving to discuss a case" I said coolly

"Case, my ass! More like he turned up to fuck you! Is that what it was? An afternoon romp session in your office? You bitch! How could you let him touch you! You wouldn't even let me fuck you! We haven't had sex in months!" he bellowed and I cringed

"Jacob, we have been over for nearly four months. Please, why can't you just let me go?" I pleaded

"I warned you Bella. Didn't I warn you that the next person to get hurt would be someone you loved? This is all on you, Babe"

With that he hung up the phone as I sat frozen in my seat, his last words running through my mind on a continuous loop. What did he mean by that? Had he hurt someone I loved? My mom? My dad? Rose? Emmett? Alice? Or worse…Edward? I felt that niggling sensation grow stronger and I quickly dialled Edward's cell. I waited for him to answer but he didn't, it went to voicemail. I ended the call without leaving a message and dialled again, this time the call picked up, but it wasn't Edward's voice that greeted me

"Hello?" the stranger said

"Um…Hello? Who is this?" I answered

"Ma'am, this is Highway Patrolman Ferris, are you related to the person who owns this phone in anyway?" I felt the fear rush my insides completely now

"Highway Patrol? Why…why are you answering my boyfriends phone?" I stammered

"Ma'am, I believe this phone belongs to an Edward Anthony Cullen, is that your boyfriend" my heart stopped the moment he spoke Edward's name

"Yes" I whispered

"I'm sorry ma'am, he was in an accident on Route 1-90, and I was the first responder on the scene. He's been taken to New York Memorial" Patrolman Ferris answered

"Thank you" I replied and hung up the phone

I sat for just a few more seconds as I processed what he had told me and then I shot up from my seat, grabbing my bag and keys as I raced out of the door shouting to Tami to hold all my calls and reschedule all of my appointments for the day on my way to the elevators. I ran out of my office building and hailed a cab. One pulled up on my second attempt and I threw myself into the back and shouted to the cab driver to floor it toward New York Memorial.

When the cab pulled up at the ER entrance I threw a $50 bill onto the front passenger seat and hurtled myself out of the back and in through the doors. I slammed myself up to the front desk

"Edward Cullen…what…room?" I panted breathlessly

The nurse behind the desk looked at me as if to assess if I was going to collapse and then shrugged and turned to her computer. She tapped at a few keys and then turned back to me

"He's in X-ray at the moment, but should be back down in Trauma Room 3 shortly. You can wait in the waiting room by the Trauma rooms" she replied kindly

"Thank you" I whispered

She pressed a button below her desk and the doors to her left opened. I ran through them and followed the signs for the Trauma rooms. I found the waiting room easily and when I stepped in I saw Emmett and Esme already seated. They both looked up when I entered. Esme rose and came towards me and pulled me into her arms. Her motherly touch was too much and my sobs broke through. All the pain and fear I was feeling rushed out of me in the form of my tears. Esme stroked my head and shushed me gently. Finally my cries quietened and she pulled back to smile at me gently, still stroking my hair lovingly

"He'll be ok. Carlisle is with him" she said and I nodded

She led me over to where Emmett was sitting and he wrapped his arms around me, gently cradling me to his broad chest

"Hey Baby girl. How did you find out?" he asked softly

"I called his cell after getting a call from Jacob and the patrolman answered" I replied quietly

Before he could comment further the door opened and Alice, Jasper and Rose rushed into the room. Alice was the first to reach me and she threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly. Jasper hugged me next and then Rose. They all sat down with us and started asking question after question but I couldn't concentrate on the conversation, my mind was miles away, on the words that Jacob had said on the phone. 'This is all on you' he had said and I couldn't help but agree with him. It was my fault that Edward was in hospital. If I had made it to that meeting, Edward would not be here. I had no doubt that what happened to Edward was no accident. After what Jacob had said, he had as good as confirmed to me that this was his doing

"Don't go there, Kitten"

My head snapped up to see Edward standing in front of me. My eyes raked over him, making sure he was really here. He had a butterfly bandage above his left eyebrow and his right wrist was wrapped up in a support brace. I flew from my seat and into his arms as he caught me around my waist with his left arm and my tears leaked free once again

"I'm ok baby, I'm ok" he whispered into my hair over and over

"I'm sorry, Edward, I'm so, so, so sorry" I sobbed into his chest and he tightened his arm around me

"What for, Kitten?"

"This is all my fault, he hurt you and it's all my fault" I cried

Edward pulled away from me and brought up his wrapped hand to my face and stroked my cheek gently with the tips of his fingers, brushing away my tears

"This is in no way your fault, baby. You didn't ram me off the road, that bastard did" he said firmly

I shook my head and pressed myself into him tighter. No matter what he said, I knew. I knew it was my fault. If it wasn't for me, he would not have been broken for eight years; he would not have touched drugs and tried to kill himself. If it wasn't for me, Jacob would have no reason to hurt him. It was my fault and I knew that no one but me could stop Jacob now. The only question was; how would I stop him? What was I willing to do to stop him hurting someone else I loved?

**EPOV**

The month and a half after my accident flew by with thankfully nothing else from Jacob. My hand was merely sprained so that healed pretty quickly, allowing me to return to work within two weeks even if it was on light duties. The cut above my eye also healed. They had used dissolvable stitches so I didn't need to return to the hospital to have them taken out. As far as accidents go, I was pretty lucky. Aside from the wrist and cut, I had a mild concussion and whiplash which I got physio for, but other than that I was fine.

Bella, however, was not. I knew she blamed herself for my accident and it upset me to see her like that. I was angry when she told me about Jacob's call to her. He actually told her that it was her fault! That was so far beyond ludicrous that it wasn't even funny.

No matter what I said, I knew Bella still blamed herself. I could see it in her eyes whenever she looked at me and I could feel it in her touch. She was being too gentle in her touches and if she could help it all, she wouldn't even touch me. My heart hurt for her. I missed her. I felt like I was losing her and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. I had had many discussions with Emmett and Jasper about it and they both said she just needed time, but I knew my Kitten. The last time she came across a situation she couldn't deal with, she ran and I was so scared that she was going to run again. This time, I wouldn't survive it.

It was now seven weeks since the accident and I was meeting Bella for lunch at her office. I made my way in and greeted the receptionist as I headed to the elevators. I had been feeling strange all day and I couldn't understand why so I shrugged and put it down to not having had Bella in my arms last night. She had gone back to her place last night as she said she had an early breakfast meeting this morning.

I stepped out of the elevator on Bella's floor and waved a hello at Tami as I passed as she was on the phone. I had just reached Bella's office door when Tami called out behind me

"She's not in Edward" I turned and looked at Tami in confusion

"I'm supposed to be meeting her here for lunch though. Did she have to go to court?" I asked

"No, she called in early this morning and said she was feeling unwell" Tami answered

I frowned at that. I had texted Bella at around 11pm when I finished my last meeting and she had said she was working and couldn't meet up until 12.30pm. I thanked Tami and left. I caught a cab at the front of Bella's office building and gave the driver Bella's address. Something felt off and I couldn't put my finger on it. I paid the driver and got out outside Bella's building and made my way in. I had a key so I didn't need her to buzz me in so I opened the door and called for the elevator, getting into it once it arrived.

I stepped out of the elevator on Bella's floor and opened her apartment door. As soon as I stepped in the feeling of wrongness became stronger. She wasn't here. I moved towards the bedroom and stopped dead in the doorway. Her clothes were strewn across the bed and several of her drawers were left open with clothing hanging out of them. I moved in further and gazed around the room. After I left the room I made my way into the kitchen and looked around. Everything was in its place here. My eyes fell on a piece of paper tacked to the fridge with a magnet and I pulled it down. The words I read stole all breath from me

_Edward,_

_I'm sorry. I need to get away for a bit. September 21__st__ is dawning fast and I need to make a decision soon. I can't have him hurt you again. I just can't. Please understand why I have to go._

_I love you, Edward. I love you so, so much and I can't stand the thought of you being hurt again. I would rather you lived in anger at me for doing this again than be hurt or worse…dead._

_I will always love you, no matter what decision I make from here on out. Please remember that._

_I am truly sorry. Be safe._

_With all my love always_

_Bella_

My hand shook as I pulled out my cell phone and pressed speed dial 2. It rang twice before it picked up

"Hey, Bro! What's up?" Emmett boomed down the phone at me

"Bella…Gone…Again" I gasped through laboured breaths

"Gone? What the fuck do you mean gone? Where are you, Edward?"

"Bella's apartment. Come. Please" I whispered and hung up the phone

I sank down onto the floor by the fridge and pressed speed dial 1. It rang and rang until the voicemail kicked in

"_Hi, this is Bella. I am unable to answer your call right now but please leave a message and I'll get back to you"_

I ended the call and dialled again and again all with the same result. I dropped my phone onto the floor beside me and got to my feet. I needed a drink. I crossed to the cabinet on the opposite wall where I knew Bella kept her liquor and retrieved an unopened bottle of vodka and proceeded to drink my self into oblivion; anything to stop the pain again threatening to overtake me. I sank back down onto the floor and this time I didn't get up again.

**EmPOV**

Bella. Gone. Again? Fuck!

I slammed down the phone having called Alice and demanding she meet me at Bella's apartment and raced in my car towards the same place. I pulled up outside her apartment the same time Alice did and got out of the car. Alice met me at the front door

"Em, what's going on?" she asked

"Edward called me and said that Bella has gone again. Do you know where she is?" I barked as I watched her open the door

"No. she hasn't called me. I thought she was meeting Edward for lunch today?" she answered

We were in the elevator by this point and my entire body was chilled to the bone with the fear of what state I would find my brother in

"I thought that too, but Edward called me and said she had gone. Gone where? And why?" I replied

We stepped out of the elevator on Bella's floor and Alice moved before me and opened Bella's door with her key. We both stepped into the apartment and while Alice headed towards Bella's bedroom, I walked towards the living room and looked around. Nothing looked different in here so I carried on towards the back and into the kitchen. It looked the same too. I gazed around and wondered where Edward was. It wasn't until he spoke did I realise that he was curled into a ball on the floor by the fridge

"She's gone…she left me again" he slurred

Shit. He was drunk. I crouched down in front of him and removed the near empty bottle of vodka from his grasp and set it down behind me, out of sight

"Edward, how do you know she's gone? Maybe she's just gone to the supermarket" I said in a gentle voice

Edward silently handed me a piece of paper he had clutched in his other hand. I took it from him and scanned the note. I felt the dread and ire rise within me as I read Bella's written words. She had done it again, but this time it was worse. This time my brother knew he loved her. I couldn't watch him self-destruct again. I just can't, this time he would not survive the separation and judging by his condition right now, the process had begun a hell of a lot faster already. September 21st was just four days away. I knew what that date signified. It was the date Jacob Black had set for his wedding with Bella. I had just four days to find her and at the same time, I had to protect my brother.

Over the rest of the day I kept an eye on Edward, sobered him up, and helped him pick himself up. Whilst he took a shower later that evening, I called Charlie to see if she had gone back there for a few days. No luck, if anything I managed to worry him to no end. So much so, that he booked himself on the next flight to New York while on the phone with me. He was set to arrive at 8am tomorrow morning and I was dreading it. I knew that he and Edward had butted heads in the past whilst Edward had been on his downward spiral and I was worried about how he would react to Edward now in this situation.

8.30am on Saturday morning found me at JFK airport waiting to collect Bella's father from arrivals. I had stayed with Edward last night at his apartment and by the time 4am rolled around, Edward had not slept a wink thus meaning neither had I. the one time he did manage to doze off for a few minutes, he tossed and turned and had a nightmare so bad it took me half an hour to calm him down again. I was a little worried about leaving him alone while I went to collect Charlie so I called Jas and he turned up to sit with him. When I left Edward was sat on the sofa simply staring off into space. He was essentially a zombie and his lack of reactions to being spoken to was beginning to frighten me.

I spotted Charlie as soon as he stepped out of baggage claim. I waved my arm to get his attention and he made his way over to me. As soon as he reached me he threw question after question at me as we headed to the parking lot and made our way back towards Edward's apartment. I answered him by simply handing him Bella's note and I explained about Edward's accident seven weeks ago. Charlie read the note and pursed his lips

"She's not gone of her own free will" he said firmly and my head snapped round to him

"What?"

"If she wanted to leave and not be found, she would not have left an explanation, least of all to Edward. I know my daughter and I know that if she wanted to remain inconspicuous, she would not have left this note for him, she would have called me or her mother and neither of us have heard from her in a week. Has she cancelled any of her appointments at work?" Charlie carried on in a sure voice

"Shit, I didn't think to check. I was busy making sure Edward-" I cut myself off and shot him a sideways glance and he quirked an eyebrow in response, telling me to continue

"I was making sure Edward was ok. He got drunk after he found the note and hasn't slept all night, except for about half an hour at about 2am. He had a nightmare" I finished quietly

"How is he now?" Charlie asked in a concerned tone which surprised me

"Bad. He's just a zombie right now. All he says is 'she's gone' and barely answers when we ask him a direct question" I replied and Charlie cringed and pulled out his phone

"Isabella Swan's office. Tami speaking" I heard Bella's secretary say through the speakerphone

"Tami, this is Charlie Swan, I need your help"

"Good morning, Mr Swan, what can I do for you?"

"Does my daughter have any appointments for today?"

"No Mr Swan. Her boyfriend, Edward called to say she was still ill this morning"

My eyebrow's shot up at that. There was no way Edward would have called. He was in no fit state to do so

"What time did he call?"

"The call came in just after I started work, so about 7.45am?"

"Shit" I muttered and Charlie nodded

Charlie thanked Tami and hung up the phone before turning to me

"Is there any way Edward could have made that call?" he asked me. I shook my head

"No. I didn't leave for the airport until 8am and Edward was within my sight the entire time before I left. He won't have made that call, hell he can barely say a word to me!" I said exasperatedly

I pulled into the guest parking spot at Edward's building and switched the engine off. I sat staring out the windshield for a moment and then I sighed

"Charlie, I've seen my brother at his lowest point once and I can't see that happen again, I nearly lost him once and right now I can see him self-destructing again, so I need you to be straight with me; Is Bella missing or did she run?" I asked softly, not looking at him

I heard Charlie suck in a deep breath and shake his head slowly

"She's missing, Emmett. She didn't run this time" he replied quietly

"Fuck" I hissed

We got out of the car and I strode toward the elevator. Edward needed to know this; he needed to know that Bella didn't run again; that she didn't leave of her own free will this time. I got out of the elevator on Edward's floor with Charlie trailing behind me with his duffle bag in one hand. I opened the door and called out to my brother

"Edward, we have trouble bro!"

I rounded the corner and found Edward sat in the same position I had left him in. Jas was sitting beside him, trying to get him to drink some water, but he wasn't responding. I glanced back at Charlie and saw him eye Edward, his brow furrowed in deep concern. I strode over to where Edward was sat and pulled him up roughly by his arms and shook him lightly. His eyes were unfocused and staring right through me

"Edward, snap out of it! We have trouble! Bella is in trouble!" I bellowed in his face

As soon as I said Bella's name his eyes snapped into focus and he looked right at me and I saw a flicker of life in his empty eyes once again

"Trouble? How?" he whispered hoarsely

"Charlie thinks she's been taken. She didn't run" I replied and he shook his head

"The letter…" he trailed of, the pain in his voice evident and it made my heart clench

"Is a fake…she wrote it, but I don't think she did it of her own violation" I said as I released his arms. He stared at me incredulously

"Em, you saw the letter, it's her handwriting"

"Yes, but did you call in sick to her work for her this morning?" I asked, my arms folded across my chest

"No. Wait. What?" he answered, confused

"Edward, Charlie spoke to Tami on the way over here; she said that Bella's boyfriend, Edward called in sick for her this morning about 7.45am and since I was still here then, I don't see how you managed to call while staring into space in front of me" I said smugly

I watched as several emotions flashed across his face until his eyes darkened to an almost bottle green as the anger in them skyrocketed, turning his face a deep shade of red. His fist clenched and his jaw tightened. I was actually beginning to become a little afraid for him as he was shaking uncontrollably in his rage. All of a sudden he spun and picked up the glass of water from the coffee table where Jas had set it down and threw it at the wall as he let loose an almighty roar. I stepped back in shock and watched as he then picked up his coffee table as if it weighed as light as a feather and threw that after the glass against the same wall as he continued to roar.

Jas and I exchanged a look full of fear and then at the same time we lunged at Edward and tackled him to the ground. He was growling and snapping his teeth in feral rage as he fought against Jas and me

"Edward, calm down, bro! Please!" I screamed in his ear as I sat on his back holding his legs and Jas sat in front of him holding his arms

"I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM, THAT MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! FUCKING WASTE OF SPACE! I'LL KILL HIM FOR THIS! FUCKING LET ME GO AND KILL HIM! FUCK! I'M COMING FOR YOU JACOB BLACK, I'M FUCKING GONNA COME FOR YOU!" Edward screamed back, totally oblivious to the rest of us in his anger

"Edward! Fuck! Edward, calm the fuck down bro! We need to find Bella!" I cried desperately

Her name was all it took for him to still beneath me and whimper. I cautiously released my hold slightly and sat back on my hunches. I nodded to Jas and he did the same thing. I looked up and saw Charlie watching Edward in dumbstruck awe. His eyes met mine and I nodded to say it was ok now. He walked forward slowly and crouched before Edward's face and placed his hand on Edward's shoulder

"Son? You ok?" he asked softly

Edward took a shaky breath and raised his head to meet Charlie's eyes. I was shocked to see his eyes red rimmed and tears flowing down his face

"I need her, Charlie. Help me find her" he whispered

Charlie patted his shoulder and smiled tightly, the worry clear in his eyes

"We'll find her. We need to call the police, son. Come on, I can't do this without you"

In one sentence, Charlie had managed to bring the fire back into Edward's eyes. I released Edward completely as did Jas and he rose to his feet and ran his hands through his hair thoughtfully. He was quiet for so long that I exchanged another look with Jas. Several minutes later Edward pulled out his phone and dialled. I watched his face carefully as he waited for the other person to answer

"Hey J, Can you come over?...Bella's missing…I don't know. I thought Jared was with her yesterday …Yes, yesterday…No she called in sick to work…Yeah I was meant to, but she didn't make it into work…Yes, there was a note…No…No, look, can we discuss all the specifics when you get here, please?...10 minutes? Great thanks…Yeah, see you then"

He hung up and turned to me

"Josh is on his way" he then turned to Charlie "I'll call the officer that has been helping us since Jacob broke into Bella's apartment on my birthday"

"B-broke…he broke in?" Charlie stuttered as his face now turned red in anger

"Yes, he tried to strangle her" Edward replied

Charlie's face turned purple as we watched. His jaw clenched and I wondered if he would react the way Edward had. I really didn't fancy sitting on him to calm him down. I was also surprised that Bella had not told her father of all the problems she had been facing with Jacob. Jas and I stood flanking Edward as he re-told everything that had been happening in the last couple of months. Charlie sank down on the sofa with a look of disbelief on his face. He ran a hand down his face and looked from Jas, Edward and me, his eyes asking if it was all true. Jas answered for us

"It's all true. As unbelievable as it is, this is what Edward and Bella have been dealing with since May. It's been a rough couple of months but these two have held strong together"

Charlie nodded and Edward dialled another number on his phone, this time putting it on speaker. It rang five times before the call was answered

"Officer Twain"

"Officer, this is Edward Cullen"

"Good morning, Mr Cullen, what can I do for you?"

"Bella's missing"

"Since?"

"Yesterday morning"

"Damn. Ok, how did you become aware of this fact?"

Edward told him of the entire events leading up to this morning, including Charlie's arrival and his phone call to Bella's secretary. Officer Twain 'hmm'd and Ahh'd and then told Edward he would meet us over at Bella's apartment in and hour to get some fingerprint samples and pictures. Edward hung up and headed into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. I was just glad it wasn't Irish. Fuck knows we needed Edward firing on all pistons right now.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

**BPOV – **_**From the morning Bella goes missing**_

I woke up this morning feeling sick to my stomach. I barely made it to the bathroom before I expended the contents of last night's dinner. It was a shame; Edward's beef tenderloin was exquisite. I had left him after a heavy make out session as I had to attend an early breakfast meeting. I cancelled the meeting and called Tami and told her I was sick and that I would be working on some depo's from home today.

Edward had healed well, but my guilt did not fade. I had so many times decided to just go to Jacob myself to stop him hurting anyone else, but I always knocked that thought from my mind. It wouldn't work. Jacob wouldn't stop now. He was too far gone and I knew his temper; I had left it too late to appease him with my appearance by his side and a promise of leaving Edward for good. He would see right through me anyway. He always had. He still didn't know me as well as Edward did, but he knew me well enough to know that my promise would simply be so that he would leave Edward unharmed and that would only fuel his anger and possibly cause him to do opposite of what I would intend from my sacrifice. I couldn't allow that to happen and so, here I was seven weeks later and still wracking my brains for an idea.

Edward text me at 11am to check that we were still meeting for lunch. I felt better so I text him and said I was busy right now but would meet him for 12.30pm at my office. I felt well enough.

I worked in my lounge area, my laptop and files spread around me, for an hour. When I finally looked up at the time, the clock read 12pm so I packed up and headed towards my bedroom to get ready to head downtown to my office. I had just passed my front door when a knock sounded. I doubled back and flung open the door without looking in the peephole. I gasped as I laid eyes on the person who was stood before me. Jacob stood framing my doorway with his large body breathing heavily. His chest heaving with the force of his breaths, his eyes were slate black and narrowed. I took two steps back, my hand on my heart to stop it from pounding out of my chest

"I warned you to come to me soon and you didn't. Our wedding is in four days time so I am here to get you myself" Jacob growled

It wasn't the same growl that would come from Edward. That growl turned me on; this one incited pure fear in me

"Jacob, we can't get married; I love Edward. Please, Jake, please let me be" I pleaded softly

Instead of replying he raised his hand and slapped me across the face. My head snapped to the side with the force of his slap and I saw spots

"You are mine, Isabella. Pack your shit and let's go" he demanded

"Jacob, I-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence as he slapped me again on the other side of my face, causing my head to snap to the other side. I thought about begging and pleading with him, but one look at his face told me that it wouldn't do a blind bit of good. His next words confirmed my thoughts

"You will come with me now, or I kill him; your choice. Make it quick. I have plans to finalize"

At his threat my decision was made. There was no decision to make; Edward's life meant more to me than my own. I nodded slowly and then an idea struck

"I can't just leave. I have work and Edward will know that I've gone missing when I don't meet him for lunch"

Jacob stared at me for a moment; contemplating this and then he grinned evilly

"Write him a note. Tell him you're leaving and you need space"

My heart dropped into my stomach. Shit. If I wrote that note, Edward would believe it. He would be devastated, but I had no choice. I would rather he be alive and angry at me than be hurt or dead and after the accident last month, I had no qualms that Jacob was capable of carrying out his threat. No I had to write the note and pray that someone would know that it was a lie. So I crossed to the chest of drawers where my landline phone was housed and retrieved a piece of paper and a pen and wrote something half-way believable. I taped it to my fridge with a magnet and headed into my bedroom, ignoring Jacob. I had just pulled out a duffle bag when Jacob walked in

"You're going too slowly. Move, I'll do it"

With that he pushed me out of the way and opened my wardrobe and started flinging my clothing hapzardly into the bag. He then crossed to my dresser and gave the items in there the same treatment, leaving some of my clothing hanging out and my drawers open. Once he had zipped up my bag he hauled it onto his shoulder and gestured for me to take the lead.

We left the apartment and took the stairs down. I knew there were cameras in the lobby area so I purposely manoeuvred us into a position where both Jacob and I would be visible. I turned my face towards the camera and silently mouthed 'Help me'. Jacob thankfully did not notice my movement and continued out of the front doors. I followed him out and into his car. A Volkswagen Rabbit he had restored from scarp three years ago. I climbed in as he slid into the driver seat after storing my bag in the trunk.

He headed out of the city, towards Manhattan. I knew he had a cabin by the lake there and judging by the direction he was driving, that was where he was headed. I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around my knees, curling into myself. My heart was breaking with every mile Jacob took me away from Edward. The feeling of loss surrounded me as tears fell from my eyes silently. I saw Jacob glance over to me several times before his sighed and spoke

"Bella, you have to know that I had to do this because I love you, right? I won't hurt you. I won't ever hurt you, I promise"

I snorted but said nothing. Did he not realise that he was hurting me right now? Did he not recognise how much he had been hurting me for the last four months since our split? This, this taking me from my one true love, my Edward was the worst kind of pain he could inflict upon me. Edward held my heart and my soul in his hands; without him, I was nothing which meant that, although Jacob though he had won right now, he hadn't. All he had managed to win was my empty, emotionless shell. Without Edward, I was back to what I had been for the last eight years. Empty. Dead.

We arrived at his cabin in the late afternoon and he parked up. He turned off the car and went to the trunk to retrieve our bags, leaving me to get out of the car myself. He had never opened doors for me, not like Edward did. Even back in high school, Edward was always the gentleman. He always opened doors for me, Alice and Rose. Jacob was…not. He had never been a gentleman now that I thought about it, in the years we had been friends before we started 'dating', Jacob had never once been the gentleman. At the time, I was thankful as I thought he was treating me like an equal and now…now I realised how rude it actually was. I had been so wrong about him. How the hell could I have been so wrong?

Jacob showed me into the bedroom I would occupying, telling me that we would not be sharing a bed until our wedding night. The thought nearly made me hurl. There was no way I could allow him to touch me. The mere thought of it made me sick. My heart and soul were not the only things that belonged to Edward. My body did too.

I placed my bag on the bed and gazed around. It was the guest room and it was a nice room. But even the pretty room didn't detract from my misery. The pain in my heart had grown to epic proportions and I missed Edward to an excruciating degree. I sank down on the bed as my tears started again. I searched my pockets for my phone hoping against hope that I could at least call Edward and reassure him, even if I couldn't tell him where I was. But my pockets were empty and it wasn't until Jacob walked in did I realise that he had picked up my phone from the coffee table. He was holding it

"Looking for this?" he sneered

I sat silent. I didn't want to raise his ire anymore, especially if we were here alone together with no hope of escape. The cabin was surrounded by trees and the nearest road was a 5 mile walk

"I figured you would try to call Cullen so I took the liberty of removing it from your bag"

I felt my shoulders slump in defeat and Jacob chuckled darkly before leaving the room, shutting the door behind him as he went. As soon as the door clicked shut I threw myself backwards onto the bed and blew out a large breath as my tears fell again. I rolled over onto my side and curled into a fetal position as my silent tears turned into quiet sobs making my body shake. My mind was bombarded with images of my Edward and that alone made my tears run in torrents and my sobs to grow louder, no matter how much I buried my face into the pillow.


	21. Chapter 21

_**I would like to thank all of my readers for their wonderful reviews. You guys rock!  
>Here's chapter 21! Enjoy!<strong>_

**Chapter Twenty One**

**EPOV**

Emmett, Jasper, Charlie and I made it back to Bella's apartment building just minutes before Officer Twain did. I couldn't bring myself to head straight up to her apartment so I stood waiting by my car whilst Charlie and Emmett went on up ahead of us. Jasper stayed with me, one hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture for which I was eternally grateful. Officer Twain pulled into the parking spot next my car and got out swiftly. He strode around his cruiser and stopped in front of us, arms folded across his chest.

"Any news?" he asked

"No." I replied my head hanging as my heart ached in my chest.

"Have any of you met with the security of the building yet? Asked any questions? Touched anything in the apartment?" he fired of questions rapidly. I simply shook my head in answer to all of them, not quite being able to speak.

"Ok, well, lets head on in and get to work. My partner is on his way here too with a couple of other officers. We're going to need a recent picture of Ms Swan and if possible one of the person you suspect has taken her. I'll go and speak with the security guard and see if he knows anything and maybe try and gain access to any security film footage whilst I wait for my back up. Keep in mind not to touch anything in the apartment when you get up there, ok?" Officer Twain spoke as he started towards the entrance, Jasper and I trailed behind him.

We left Officer Twain in the lobby and caught the elevator up to Bella's floor. As soon as we stepped out I froze, unable to go any further as images of my Bella assaulted my mind. Jasper stopped next to me and once again laid a comforting hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"I know it's hard, Edward, but you need to face it. Bella needs you to come through for her." He said softly.

I nodded and started forward again after taking a couple of deep breaths. I slowly reached out and opened her door, her scent washing over me, nearly bringing me to my knees. I braced myself against the wall just inside her front door and used my breathing techniques. I rubbed my hand over my heart sub-consciously to ease the pain residing in there. I could see Jasper watching me carefully out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored him. Slowly but surely I ventured further into the apartment, still breathing deeply.

I stepped into the lounge and gazed around. Nothing had changed in here in two days, but the air felt cold and unused already. I moved towards the mantle and stared at the pictures lined up there. There was one of Bella and Charlie, with Charlie holding up a fish proudly, Bella beaming beside her dad. There was another of Renee and Phil and one of Charlie and Sue on their wedding day. Then there was one of Bella and Alice on their graduation day, their degrees held high in their air, big grins on their faces and last but not least, the most recent addition was a picture of Bella and me on one of our nights out with the gang. We had gone dancing so Bella and I were standing our bodies flush against each other, my arms were around her waist and hers were around my neck and we were looking at each other, soft smiles on our faces, love shining clearly on our faces. It was this picture that broke me.

I picked it up from the mantle and held it to my chest as I dropped to my knees, sobbing as the pain threatened to tear me from inside out. I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my shoulders and pull me into a hug. I knew it was Emmett from the sheer muscle. I didn't care that I wasn't being a man right now. I didn't care that my girlfriend's father was most likely watching me come apart. I certainly didn't care that, once again, it was my brother that was holding me together. The only thought in my mind was of Bella. My Bella. My Kitten. I whispered her name over and over as my brother held me and simply let me cry, not saying anything.

Eventually my sobs quieted and I pulled back, out of Em's embrace. He gazed at me, concern clear on his face.

"I'm ok now. I'll be ok. Let's just get to work." I said hoarsely. Em stared at me for a moment longer and then nodded once.

I rose from the floor and replaced the picture on the mantle, trailing my finger down the side, over Bella as I did. I gazed at it for a few more seconds and then turned to face my audience. I was surprised to find not only Jasper and Charlie standing in the doorway, but Officer Twain and three other officers too. I flushed slightly with embarrassment.

"No need to be embarrassed, son. We all need to let it out somehow." Charlie said with a small sad smile. I tried to smile back, but it came off more as a grimace. I turned to Officer Twain.

"Bella keeps her photo albums on the top shelf of her wardrobe in her room; would you like me to see if I can find some suitable picture for you in them?"

"As long as the wardrobe is the only thing you touch, then yes, please." He replied, gesturing for me to go ahead.

I left the men in the lounge and made my way into Bella's room, hesitating on the threshold before I fully stepped in. her scent was especially strong in here causing the pain in my heart to throb. I opened the wardrobe doors and retrieved the stack of photo albums from the top shelf and carried them into the lounge. I sat down on the sofa and reverently stroked the cover of the top album on my lap before opening it. Sod's law that the first album I opened turned out to be her engagement photos. The very first picture was a standing pose with her and Jacob. Bella was standing slightly in front of Jacob and he was just behind her and slightly to her left, his hands were on her waist and her hands were resting over his. I felt an intense wave of jealousy crash over me, blurring my vision for a few seconds.

I stared at the picture for a long time and the more I did, the more I noticed the little details. Jacob looked pleased, almost smug but Bella, although she was smiling, looked a bit uncomfortable. Her smile did not reach her eyes. I knew her every expression very well and this smile was not one of happiness. It was forced. The smiles she gave me always made her eyes sparkle and her beautiful face light up. The smile in this picture was dimmed, almost as if it had been painted on as an after thought. This receded the jealousy, but only slightly. I was still jealous that Jacob had gotten to share a day as special as an engagement with her before I did.

My eyes hungrily drank in her features and my fingers traced over her face as I flipped through the albums one by one. I wasn't choosing a picture for Officer Twain anymore; I was just looking at her now. I needed her back. I missed her so badly that the pain was almost unbearable. I needed her. Here. With me. And I had two more day to find her before Jacob forced her to marry him and she was lost to me forever.

**Charlie POV**

I watched Edward flick through Bella's photo albums, the pain on his face excruciatingly clear. As much as I loved my daughter and wanted her back, it seemed to be a fraction of what Edward was feeling. Edward and Bella had always been like the sun and the moon. Even in high school. They always seemed to revolve around each other. But now…now it was so much more intense. Their love was a palpable thing and although I had at first been sceptical of it when my daughter called to inform me, once they had visited and I had had a chance to observe them together I really couldn't find fault with their relationship. Sure, Edward had had a problematic past, but then who these days didn't? Not to mention the problems he faced were caused by my daughters' disappearance from his life in the first place.

Before Bella had left LA and moved to New York in her senior year of high school, the two of them were as thick as thieves. Edward was a good boy, raised right. Even the times I had caught him drunk or high, he had still always been respectful when speaking to me or any of my men. The boy had impeccable manners and not even drugs, drink and depression had taken those from him.

I should have seen it then, I suppose. The source of his pain then was the same source now. Bella. Her absence from his life was like removing a part of him. I should have seen how empty they both were then. The same dead look was in his eyes now as it was back then; I just don't know why I hadn't seen it back then. But I saw it clearly now and Lord help me, I would do anything in my power to restore the light.

I remembered all too clearly the pain and emptiness in my daughter's eyes too and if that time was any indication then I would hazard a guess to say that the look that was in Edward's eyes now was most assuredly in Bella's eyes too. Jacob would pay for this. I would make sure of it.

**Jas POV**

My friend was hurting. Again. And there was nothing I could do. Again. I felt so bloody helpless and frustrated. There was nothing I could do to take his pain away. This wasn't like the last time where I had the choice of actually telling him where Bella was, even though I didn't at her own insistence. No, this time, I didn't actually know where she was and that was somehow so much worse.

As I watched Edward go through Bella's photo albums I vowed there and then to do all that I could to bring my best friends back together again and if I got a few licks into Jacob in the process then all the better.

**EPOV**

I selected three pictures of my Bella from two different albums and handed them over to Officer Twain. One of them was a picture or Bella on her engagement day. She was sat on a grassy knoll by a pond with a small fountain. There was a swan sat next to her as she smiled up at the camera. She looked so beautiful that even the fact that it was taken on her engagement to another man did not detract me from recognising her beauty.

I had found a picture of Jacob on his own, standing by a large cherry blossom tree in the same album, so I gave that to Officer Twain too. The last picture was one of Bella, Alice and Rose sitting in _Bella Italia_, their faces shining with mirth. Though even in this picture I could see the light missing from Bella's eyes so I assumed it was taken before we had reconnected because the empty look in her eyes was the same I had carried in mine for those eight years.

I continued to browse through the albums lingering on each photo of Bella, tracing her beautiful features, drinking her in and memorising her. The longing and pain in my heart intensified with each passing picture yet I still couldn't bring myself to stop.

I was brought out of my stupor by the sound of the front door banging open. I looked up to see Josh, Sam and Officer Twain rush in looking excited. I jumped up from the couch.

"What? What is it? Have you found her?" I demanded.

"No, we have the security tape. I think you need to see this." Officer Twain said, holding up a disc.

He stepped over to Bella's entertainment centre and slipped the disc into the DVD player and switched on the TV. He moved back towards me, clearing my line of vision. The TV flickered for a moment and then a black and white image popped up of the lobby downstairs. My heart jumped in my chest when the image of first Jacob appeared and then a trailing Bella. I watched as Bella cleverly manuvered herself to face the camera and then mouthed something I didn't catch. I leaned forward.

"What was that? What did she mouth?" I asked

Officer Twain rewound the tape and played it again. This time I caught the words clearly. She mouthed 'Help me'. Officer Twain paused the tape and I moved to stand in front of the TV. I dropped to my knees and traced my fingers over Bella's face.

"I'm coming for you baby. I love you." I whispered to her image.

A new sense of resolve stole across me and I abruptly stood and spun to face my companions.

"Where do we think Jacob would take her? He's had her for two days now and we have two more days to find her before he manages to carry out his twisted plans. We need to find her before that happens. Charlie, have you spoken to his family? Would he have taken her back to LA?" I said determination clear in my voice.

"I spoke to Billy; he hasn't seen Jacob since the engagement. I don't think he's taken her back to LA, but we can check flight records to be sure." Charlie said to me before he turned to Officer Twain.

"Officer, I am Charlie Swan. Bella is my daughter. I am the Chief of Police in LA so I think I can help in your investigations but I won't get in your way. Just tell me what you would like for me to do?"

"A pleasure to meet you Chief Swan. I think we need to take a look at flight records and also go through rent agreements, property records and car hire details. If he hasn't flown, he may have driven, though I do think it's highly unlikely he drove to LA. If he plans to force her to marry him in two days, he would not drive to far out of state. I think he's still within the state of New York, we just need to figure out where." Officer Twain replied.

Charlie and Officer Twain discussed possibilities for a few more moments as I watched until I felt a hand on my elbow. I turned and found Josh gesturing at me with his head for me to follow him. I followed him from the room into the kitchen and he stopped by the sink.

"E, I think my team may be able to help in looking up records, but I need to apologise to you first. Her guard failed on the job and that should not have happened. I'm sorry, man." He said, his head hanging in shame. I laid my hand on his shoulder.

"J, just help me find her and I can let it go, yeah?" I replied softly. I hadn't quite forgiven his men but I couldn't and wouldn't turn down any help to find my Bella.

"Thanks, man. I'll get to work on the records. I have contacts that the police may not have access to. I'll call you in a couple of hours with an update." He said. I nodded.

Josh left me to start his search. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. My body was aching to hold Bella and being in her apartment was making my heart ache for her painfully. Everything, her scent, her things, her pictures, all of it was reminding me that I was here and she wasn't. I missed her. I missed not being able to feel her, hold her, kiss her, I just wanted her.

I strolled back into the lounge and my eyes were immediately drawn to the frozen picture of her on the TV. I stared at it for a long moment until I noticed there was a reflection in the glass window to her left. I moved to get a closer look and I reeled back in surprise. There, plain as day was stood Bella's guard, Jared, talking with Jacob. I growled as the realisation that Jared knew Jacob hit me. I whipped out my phone and dialled Josh's number.

"Hello?"

"Josh, question Jared. He knows Jacob."

"What? How?"

"He's on the tape speaking to Jacob and they look extremely cozy."

"Are you sure, E?"

"Of course I'm sure! You wanna take a look at the tape yourself?"

"No, I trust you. Fine, I'll pull up the history on Jared too and speak to him once I've done my homework. I need to know as much information as possible if I'm going to be accusing one of my men."

I could hear the unhappiness in his voice and I didn't care. If Jared was involved in some way, we could find Bella that much faster.

"Trust me, J, you need to speak to him and I would suggest you tell him that he would rather it be you than me. If I get my hands on him, I may just kill him."

I didn't wait for Josh to reply, I simply snapped my phone close. I kept my eyes on the image on the screen as I spoke to Officer Twain and Charlie.

"Officer Twain, Charlie can you pull up phone records for Jacob Black and Jared Buckman for the last few weeks? I have a feeling Jared is Jacob's accomplice."

"Of course. I've already asked for a tap on Jacob's phone. I'll just ask for one on Jared's too." Officer Twain said before he left the room.

I felt rather than saw Charlie come and stand beside me. He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed once.

"We'll find her." He whispered.

"I know, I just hope it's in time." I replied quietly.

"Where's Em?" I questioned as I realised that I hadn't seen my brother in a while.

"He left with Josh. He's going to help him while I help NYPD." Charlie replied. I nodded.

"We will find her in time, Edward." Charlie said forcefully.

"Thank you." I whispered, taking in his strength.

Charlie squeezed my shoulder once more and then left the room too. I continued to gaze at Bella and began desperately praying for her safety and for her return. If we happened to be too late, God knows what I would do. If I lost her to him, I knew, this time I would not survive without her.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

**BPOV**

I don't know how long I cried for, but eventually I fell asleep. I was thankful that Jacob did not return, though I could hear him out in the main cabin area. I dreamt that night. I dreamt of my wedding, but it wasn't Jacob who I pictured as the groom. It was Edward. The dream started out pleasant, but suddenly it switched and I found myself in the middle of a nightmare. Edward morphed into Jacob and my beautiful dress turned into a black funeral dress. I was struggling in Jacobs arms, trying to get free and he was sneering at me.

I screamed and sat bolt upright in the bed, confused as to my surroundings for a minute before the previous day's events flooded through me making my tears turn into sobs. I curled myself into a ball, my knees up against my chest and my arms locked around them. The pain in my chest cracked wide open and the empty space where my heart was throbbed painfully. I rocked back and forth as my entire body shook with the force of my sobs. The door flung open and I raised my head just enough to see Jacob's silhouette frame the doorway.

"You know anyone would think you don't love me." he snarled

"I don't." I snapped back

Faster than I thought was possible for his size; he strode over to where I was on the bed and slapped me. Hard. I gasped at the pain I felt in my cheek and glared up at him.

"You can hit me and hurt me all you like, Jacob Black, but it will never change the truth." I said quietly.

Again, he slapped me but this time he followed it with a backhander too.

"You may not like me, but you will learn to respect your husband." He growled.

"I will not marry you, Jacob. Why are you doing this? Please, just let me go." I pleaded. He laughed harshly.

"I am doing this because you are mine to do with as I please. Get dressed; we're going to the courthouse to pick up our marriage licenses."

With that he left the room, slamming the door closed behind him. I stared at the door for a moment, processing what he had just said and then sprung up from the bed. If we were going out, it meant we were going into the town or the city and that meant chances of escape for me. I quickly dressed in a pair of jeans and a blue shirt.

Ten minutes later I was sat in the passenger seat of Jacob's Rabbit, my mind swirling with possibilities and scenarios of escape. I kept my face turned to the window and ensured that I had a blank mask on so that he could not read my intentions. We drove for an hour before he finally pulled into a parking garage and turned to me once the car had stopped.

"Don't try anything, Bella. If you do, your pretty boy, Cullen will suffer the consequences and you know that I don't make idle threats." He warned me. I swallowed the fear and panic that I could rise within me and nodded mutely.

I followed him from the car and out towards the front of the courthouse. There were many people around and as I looked up in the foyer I noticed a camera. A plan formed in my mind. I may not be able to escape, but I could leave clues for Edward to find me.

I trailed behind Jacob towards the counter and stood to the side, but behind him so the attendant could see me. I caught the attendant's eye and sent him a pleading look, my eyes flickered to Jacob's back and back to the attendant and I started to mouth.

"Help. Kidnapped. Call Police."

The attendant's eyes widened as he looked from me to Jacob, who thankfully at the time was looking down as he filled out the forms in front of him. I shook my head pleadingly at the attendant.

"Please? Help me." I mouthed. He nodded slowly and relaxed his face into a calm mask again just in time for Jacob to look up at him.

I waited while Jacob continued to complete the procedure of gaining a marriage license. He handed me my own form to sign, I quickly signed it and peeked a glance at Jacob. He was staring at something behind us so I scribbled a note:

_**555-780456**_

_**Call Edward; tell him JB cabin in woods.**_

I slid the form back over to the attendant who scanned it and nodded once he had read the note I had written. He stamped the form and stashed it under Jacob's to prevent it being seen.

After a long wait we were called in for our joint interview. Jacob grabbed me by my elbow and leaned into my ear to whisper.

"Don't try anything in your single interview, you know my promise. Cullen will get it if you mess this up."

I shivered in fear and nodded once to show my understanding. I had a feeling Jacob would be listening in on my interview to prevent me saying anything so I would just have to do this the hard way. I would not marry him. Never. I feared for Edward's safety, but maybe I could somehow get a message to him that I was safe and unharmed. Next to that I also could get a message to my father or Emmett or someone on how to find me before this deranged ex-friend of mine managed to carry out his sick, twisted plans.

The joint interview took half an hour as the officinal asked us a manner of questions relating to our relationship and living means. I stayed quiet through most of it, only answering when I really had to. Finally the official asked Jacob to step out whilst I had my single interview. Jacob shot my one warning look and a smile at the official and then slipped out of the door, leaving it open I crack without the official noticing. I quickly leaned over and whispered urgently.

"I need you to carry on with the interview as your normally would, but I also need your help. Can you pass me a pen and paper please?"

The official looked confused for a moment and then slid over the items I had asked for. I motioned with my hands for him to continue. He paused for a brief second and then started to talk about how marriage was a huge step in anyone's life and it should only be taken if I was absolutely certain. He asked me questions on my life and career and family and anything else under the sun. The entire time he was talking, I had been scribbling away with an explanation and a plea:

_**Help me, please!**_

_**This man has kidnapped me and threatened to harm my boyfriend unless I marry him. **_

_**He is keeping me in his cabin in the woods, off of Route 92-B. please call the numbers I give below and follow my instructions:**_

_**Edward – 555-780456**_

_**Please tell him to stay away, but that I am ok. Tell him I love him and will see him soon.**_

_**Charlie Swan – 555-342438**_

_**Please tell him to speak to Billy and get the information on the location and provide it to NYPD, Officer Twain. Tell him to hurry. I have only a day and a half left!**_

_**Please, help me!**_

I finished my note just as the official was wrapping up the interview. I slid the piece of paper over to him and he understood from my expression that it was not something he could not read in public. He folded it up and slipped it under some files by his left arm. I gave him a tiny smile in gratitude. I only hoped he would take it seriously. I had done all I could now. Now, I would simply have to wait for my father.

**EPOV **

We left Bella's apartment several hours later and made our way back to mine. Emmett drove, having returned from meeting with Josh down at his office, as Charlie sat in the front seat beside him and Jasper and me in the back. I may have broken myself out of the fog of despair but I was still in no way, shape or form ready to drive. The pain in my heart at her separation from me throbbed intermittently causing me to double over and grab my chest to hopefully ease the ache. It would fade to a dull throb and then return with a vengeance as I spotted something that reminded me of her, which, lets face it, was almost everything. The café around the corner from her apartment, where we sometimes met on a Saturday before deciding what to do; the bookstore where I had picked up a new copy of _Pride and Prejudice_ for Bella when her covers fell apart rendering the book useless to hold and read; the courthouse steps where I had first seen her after eight long years; the park where we had had our picnic on our second date all of it served to tease and torture me with images of her.

We arrived at my parking garage and Jasper gently nudged me. I slowly moved my head round to look at him and his face changed from one of concern to sympathy. I felt something warm and wet splash down on my hand and I looked down, surprised to find several other wet spots. I hadn't realised that I had been crying silent tears that streamed down my face and onto my hand. I reached up and wiped my wet face.

"We'll find her, E. don't give up on her." Jasper said quietly, his arm around my shoulders.

"Never." I replied hoarsely.

And I wouldn't. As much as I hoped to find her and get to her before she married that slime ball, even if I was late and still found her, there was no way in which I would give up on her. It wasn't so much the fact that she would be married to that jerk that made me desperate to find her before it actually happened, it was the after that scared me. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that she loved me and wanted only me but this meant that if he married her, he could claim her, both literally and physically. The literal sense I could deal with; we could always annul the marriage afterwards. No, it was the physical sense that frightened me. If she was against marrying him then I knew she would also be dead against sleeping with him, which would mean that if - and it was a big if – he managed to have sex with her, it would not be consensual and the fallout for her on that was too painful to even contemplate. There was no option; I had to find her before the wedding.

I trailed behind my brother, Jasper and Charlie up to my apartment. Part of me was well aware of my surroundings and the conversation going on between Charlie and Emmett and the other part was still locked in a fog. I tried to shake myself out of it, but no matter what I did, the fog remained. Emmett unlocked my door and strode in and straight to the kitchen, Jasper and Charlie hot on his heels, I assumed to grab a beer. I headed into my lounge and flopped down on the couch; the earlier determination ebbing out of me, leaving me exhausted. I hadn't slept last night. The most I had managed was half an hour before a nightmare woke me, leaving me in a state of catatonia.

The dream had started out fine. It was me and Bella, walking through the park hand in hand, talking and laughing and occasionally sharing a kiss or two. But somehow it changed and I felt her release my hand and step away from me, smirking evilly.

"_I don't love you Edward. I never have. This was all about revenge, nothing else. I love Jacob and I am going to him now." She snarled._

"_No, no, no, no. Kitten, no. don't say that, you don't mean it. Tell me you don't mean it, baby." I pleaded with her._

"_Oh, I mean every word. I belong to Jacob, not you." she reiterated._

_She then turned and walked away from me, towards a waiting Jacob. I watched as they embraced, twining around one another until I couldn't tell where one began and the other ended. I sank to my knees, shaking and crying out to her, calling her back._

And that was when I awoke, shaking, sweating and sobbing into my brothers' very large chest as he held me, soaking his shirt with both my tears and my sweat. I don't know how long it took him to calm me down, but eventually I fell into a pit of darkness, seeing and hearing nothing, my eyes open, but not seeing, my mind whirling, but not registering anything. I felt dead; useless.

Sighing I leant my head back on the back of my sofa, closing my eyes to drown out all other sounds. I considered for one moment if I could go take a nap in my bed before the memory of my dream hit me again and I decided against it. I don't think I could take another one of those. So instead I rose to my feet and trudged into the kitchen, stopping just outside the doorway when I heard the murmur of voices from within. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it when I heard my name.

"Will Edward be ok?" Charlie asked.

"I honestly don't know, Chief. This time seems so different to the last. One minute I think he's ok, but then I look into his eyes and I see the pain and emptiness there and then I realise maybe not. It's frightening to see him like this and this time it's so much worse." Emmett replied quietly.

"In what way?" Charlie returned.

"He knows he loves her this time." Jasper stated in a matter of fact tone.

"And he didn't last time?" Charlie said incredulously.

"No, he didn't. We could all see it, but he himself couldn't. I think part of what sent him off the deep end was the fact that he couldn't understand why he felt like he did when she left LA." Emmett answered.

I was surprised at how perceptive my brother had been. He understood a lot more than I thought. I had, in the last few months since reconnecting with Bella, wondered what had provoked my downfall eight years ago and why it had affected me for so long. It wasn't until Kate had pointed out that I had loved as more than my best friend all along had I started to even consider that as a factor.

"Shit, I thought he had always known and that was why he acted out the way he did back then." Charlie muttered, still surprised.

"No, but I think he knows now. I know that he struggled for a long time to try and understand why. Why she left, why he felt so empty, why it hit him so hard; he knows it now, but not then. He may not spiral as he did then this time, but if we don't find her and bring her back safe and sound, you can sure as hell expect the downfall to be a thousand times worse this time round." Jasper said his voice full of sadness.

He was right. My downfall would be so much worse this time if couldn't bring her back safe. Losing her could very well be the end of me.

I was still pondering this when my doorbell rang. I did an about turn and headed to open the door. I found Officer Twain and his partner, Officer Mac standing on the other side, grinning like fools. I motioned them in and shut the door behind them. I turned and faced them, folding my arms over my chest, my eyebrow raised in a silent question.

"We have some news."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

**EPOV**

"_We have some news."_

Officer Twain grinned at me, looking smug as shit and to be quite honest; I had no energy to play games. I was tired, depressed and fucking angry all at the same time.

"Well?" I questioned when he didn't say anything further for a long while.

"We know he's not flown out of the state. We checked all the airlines and private jet bookings. Nothing." Twain started.

I nodded in encouragement for him to continue.

"We have had a hit on a car rental though, but it's not in his name." Twain said warily.

"So how does it tie to him then?" I asked, confused as fuck.

"Hey, what's going on?"

I turned and saw that Charlie, Emmett and Jasper had all come into the lounge, each carrying a bottle of beer with them.

"We have some news we thought guys would like to hear." Mac clarified for them.

"Have you found her?" Charlie asked eagerly.

Both Mac and Twain shook their heads and looked a little contrite at having gotten our hopes up.

"Continue." I snapped impatiently.

"Okay, as I was saying we've had a hit on car rentals but it's not in his name but it does tie to him in a way which we hope you can clarify." Mac said.

"How can we clarify? What can we clarify?" Charlie asked in a rush.

Twain turned to me and looked me square in the eye, "You can help." He stated firmly to me.

"Me? How can I help?" I asked.

"The rental agreement was in the name of Tanya Denali. We know you know her as she has a restraining order from you against her name in the system and I also remember you mentioning her coming to see Bella at her office the day of your accident." Twain explained.

I stared at him numbly, uncomprehendingly. Tanya? How the hell was Tanya involved? Scratch that, how the hell did she even know Jacob?

"Tanya? What…How…Tanya?" I spluttered finally.

Twain nodded, "Yes. Judging by the looks on your faces you all knew her?" he asked.

"Yes." Emmett gritted out through clenched teeth.

"Well, the agreement was taken out yesterday morning and-" Twain was cut off by the ringing of his phone. He excused himself to answer it.

I collapsed down onto the sofa and threw my head back and clenched my eyes shut. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Tanya was somehow involved with Bella's kidnapping. I knew she was slightly crazy, but I never thought she would go this far to get to me. I was still trying to come to terms with Tanya's involvement when Twain ran back into the room and slid to a stop in front of me.

"We've found her! We've found Bella!" he cried.

I jumped up from the sofa and grasped Twain by his shoulders.

"Are you sure? How? Where is she? Is she okay?" I demanded.

Twain grabbed me by the shoulders in return and held me steady as my heart raced in my chest, fighting the feeling of hope that I could feel rising up within me.

"She's ok. That was a call from a Mr Gavin from the registrar's office in Manhattan. Apparently Bella and Jacob came in this afternoon and filled out paperwork for a marriage licence. Bella managed to leave a message with Mr Gavin whilst he carried out her individual interview. She wrote while he talked and he said she looked scared and desperate but physically she's okay." Twain explained.

I breathed out a sigh of relief at knowing she wasn't harmed.

"So how does that equate to 'We've found her'?" Jasper asked.

"She said in the note that he was keeping her at his cabin by the lake off of Route 92-B, but Edward? She also asked for you to stay away." Twain said gently.

I snorted, "Trust her. She knows that I would do nothing of the sort! Wait, how did she know to write your number and not mine?" I scoffed.

"Well, the note was actually asking her father for help but Mr Gavin thought it prudent to contact NYPD directly." He explained.

I nodded and inhaled another deep breath before exhaling it slowly to calm my nerves.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" I exclaimed looking from Twain to Mac and back again.

"Edward, you cannot be there. We can't have you in the line of fire." Twain said gently.

"I. Am. Coming! I refuse to stand by and wait while you go and rescue my girlfriend! I need to be there!" I bellowed.

"Edward." I felt Charlie's hand on my shoulder.

I turned my head and looked at him as he shook his head at me. I pleaded with my eyes until he finally sighed and his shoulder slumped in defeat. He nodded once at me and then turned to face Twain and Mac.

"Let him come. I'll keep him behind the lines." He promised.

Twain and Mac exchanged a long look and then nodded in unison at Charlie. I straightened up and nodded back in thanks. I exchanged goodbyes with Emmett and Jasper and followed the three men out of my apartment. Emmett assured me that he would contact our parents and let them know what was going on. I waved my acknowledgement over my shoulder. I would not stop now. Nothing would stop me until I finally saw my Bella with my own eyes.

**BPOV**

Jacob led me back into the cabin and into my bedroom before he shut and locked the door. I sat down on the edge of the bed as a prayer played through my mind on a continuous loop:

_Please let my father find me soon. Please let Edward be okay. Please keep him away and safe._

I hoped that the message I had left with the official would find its way to where it needed to be. I would not marry Jacob. I refused to. I stared at the floor as I prayed as hard as I could that everything would work out without either myself or Edward being hurt.

I don't know how long I sat there but eventually I became aware of raised voices coming from the outer room. I quietly stood up from the couch and tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear up against it. What I heard shocked me. There were three voices coming from the other room, one was Jacob but it was the other two that surprised me.

"Why the fuck would you rent a car in your name, T? You know that shit's traceable!" Jacob roared.

"Jacob, baby, they won't know to link us! No one knows about us." Tanya placated him.

Tanya and Jacob? Since when? And if he had Tanya, why the hell had he kidnapped me and was forcing me into marriage with him?

"Jake, man, it'll be okay, we've covered our tracks well." I reeled back from the door at the sound of Jared's voice.

Jared, my bodyguard was in on it and knew Jacob? How/

"Fine. But if this blows up and my wedding day is ruined I will beat the shit out of you, T." Jacob threatened.

I tried to hear more but it sounded as if they had moved away into another room so I returned to the bed and sank down on it. I crawled into the centre of the bed and curled up on my side. I closed my eyes and drifted in and out of consciousness for a while until I heard the door open. I opened my eyes and lifted my head to see Tanya standing in the doorway. I uncurled my body and stood from the bed, facing her.

"Tanya." I nodded curtly at her.

"Bella Swan." She sneered back at me.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my temper in check.

"You out of Edward's life for good." She snapped back.

"Not going to happen." I snapped back.

"That's what you think." She replied coolly.

It was only then that I noticed the gun in her hand. She raised it up to shoulder height and pointed it at me. I stepped back and raised my hands in a surrender motion.

"Tanya, don't do this. If you get caught your life will be over." I said gently.

"Then I just can't caught can I?" she drawled.

"Where's Jacob?" I asked as my eyes darted over her shoulder to try and see beyond her.

"Out. He and Jared are picking up a few provisions for the wedding, but see I have a problem with that too. I want both Jacob and Edward and they both want you so in order to rectify that situation I have to get rid of you." Tanya explained with a maniacal grin on her face.

Oh God, she had lost her mind. She was certifiable.

"Tanya-" I started before she cut me off.

"No! You have to go! I've waited too long for you to mess this up!" she cried.

I took another step back just as she cocked the gun and clicked off the safety. Her finger twitched on the trigger and I swallowed hard.

"Tanya, think about what you're doing. Please!" I pleaded.

"I have though about nothing more for days, months and years. I don't need to think on it anymore." She snarled.

I stepped back again and prepared to duck as soon as the gun went off. I heard the shot but I moved a fraction too late and I felt the bullet graze my upper right arm and I dropped onto the floor with a cry of pain. I stared up at the white ceiling as my vision blurred into a haze before the blackness of unconsciousness stole over me; pulling me under.

_**A/N – Dun Dun Duuuunnnn! What now? Will Edward and Co make it to her in time? I know this is slightly short but it was needed for the flow of the story, sorry!**_


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N - I know, I know, you all hate me for the delay in posting the next chapter, but what can I say, life got in the way and then I suffered a long bout of writers block. It affected all of my stories! I hate writers block!**_

_**Well, without further ado, I give you chapter 24. Enjoy!**_

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty Four<strong>

**BPOV**

There was a certain amount of…solace to be found in the blackness that surrounded me. Here I could simply be; simply exist. In this new reality all I could feel and hear was my Edward. It felt so real; so tangible, almost as if he really were here; holding me, caressing me, whispering that he loved me and needed me to stay with him. It was nice and I never wanted to leave here, not if it meant going back to the harsh reality of my life that was imprisoned by an unhinged ex and a psycho woman from my past. Why would I want to leave the comforting embrace of my only love's voice and arms to return there?

I didn't.

So I stayed and wrapped myself tighter against his warmth.

I never wanted to leave yet something was off. The ever present electricity that I felt whenever he was near me was nowhere to be found. The buzz was weak; telling me that he was around somewhere but that he was not in the near vicinity.

And yet, I still didn't want to leave.

So I stayed and buried myself further into his velvet voice.

**EPOV**

I sped down the highway following behind Twain and Mac's flashing cruiser; my thoughts on one rolling loop: _Please let her be ok, please let her be there_.

Charlie sat beside me in the passenger seat, silent as the light faded, bringing about the darkness of the night. I had never been so thankful for his silence as I was right now. I wasn't sure that I could carry a conversation let alone listen to him speak. My mind was too crowded already. The rain had started just as we joined onto the highway and had not let up since. My wipers swished across the windscreen in a vain attempt to wipe away the rapidly falling raindrops as I stared blearily out.

The silence didn't last long.

"Edward, I need you to listen to me or the detectives when we get there. You'll be no good to her if you get hurt. She would never forgive me if I let you get hurt." Charlie spoke quietly but firmly.

I glanced over to him to see him staring straight ahead out of the windscreen.

"I don't matter, Charlie. All that matters is that she is ok." I muttered back as my hands gripped the steering wheel tightly with the images of her being hurt assaulting my mind.

"You matter to her." Charlie countered.

"All that matters is that she is ok." I repeated.

Charlie chose not to reply but huffed instead in annoyance. I ignored him. I was still trying to remove the images of my Bella hurt from my head. It was no easy task and the images did nothing to quell the fear in my heart that something was wrong; that she wasn't all that ok.

I slowed my car down to match the speed that Twain was driving as we pulled off of the highway onto a winding side road. I could see Twain speaking on his radio and I assumed that he was calling for backup.

It wasn't long after we pulled onto the side road that it turned into a dirt track surrounded by trees and foliage. I swept my eyes from side to side; taking in the surroundings as we slowed to a crawl. Twain rolled to a stop just as the trees thinned to reveal a large log cabin. It was very secluded and rustic looking but looked as if it had been cared for meticulously. To the left there was a lake with a long wooden pier leading to it. A dingy boat was tied to the post and sat bobbing on the gentle waves. To the right of the cabin there was nothing but trees and bushes; the perfect place to hide.

I stopped my car beside the cruiser and stepped out as soon I killed the engine. Twain and Mac were standing studying the area; presumably looking for signs of life or movement. It was at that moment we heard a gunshot. I surged forward; not stopping when I heard the voices of the three men behind me shouting at me to stop and wait. I just ran. The pulse inside me was telling me that my Kitten was here. I could feel her. The dread in my gut was telling me that she was hurt and it was all I needed to run to her.

I crashed through the front door and stopped. The room was large and expensively furnished. On my right there were large bay windows with a window seat. Beside it was a fireplace and in front of the fire place was an overstuffed brown L shaped sofa. I gazed around, trying to decipher where I needed to go next. I didn't need to wait too long for my answer. I heard sounds coming from behind one of the closed door on my left. I crept over to it and pressed my ear up against it.

"Tsk, Tsk, Bella. Why fight? It would be so much easier if you just died like you are supposed to."

Tanya.

I felt another emotion unfurling beside the fear; anger. Rage. Pure unadulterated rage against another human being. Against Tanya.

I heard the click of a gun and realised that she had been the shooter. Without another thought I shouldered the door and stumbled into the room. The sight before me tore through me, fuelling the rage. My Kitten was sprawled out on the floor, unconscious with blood seeping out from the wound on her arm and Tanya was standing over her with the gun pointed directly at her chest; directly onto her heart, my heart. I growled. Loudly. Tanya spun round and I watched as her eyes first widened in disbelief and then glinted in maniacal joy.

"Eddie! Baby! You're here! Good, let me just finish off here and I'll be with you in a sec, kay?" she trilled.

I shook my head in anger in disbelief. She looked positively insane. She had to be.

"Tanya, step away from my girlfriend or so help me, I will kill you." I snarled.

"But, Eddie, baby, I'm doing this for us; for you, so that you can finally be free from her and we can be together like we are meant to be." Tanya simpered.

My eyebrows shot up in shock. God, she really was insane.

"Tanya, I will never and I do mean _never_ be yours. I am hers. Completely. And if you choose to shoot her, I will kill you first and then myself." I paused, "That is, if I allow you to even shoot her in the first place." I warned.

"But, Eddie-" Tanya started.

"But nothing! Step away from her before I do something I may regret." I roared.

"No! She has to go. I have to do this! Don't you see that she has poisoned you? You are mine! You always have been!" Tanya shouted back.

I shook my head, "I have always been hers, I just never knew it." I whispered.

"No! No, no, no! You. Are. Mine!" Tanya screamed.

She spun back towards Bella's inert form and cocked the gun again, unlocking the safety once again. Again, I didn't think; I lunged and threw myself on top of my love just as another shot rang through the air. I felt the burn in my shoulder blade and knew that I had been shot. I lifted my head and looked at Bella's pale face. The black spots started to cloud my vision. I trailed my eyes down Bella's body and froze. I had taken the bullet, but it had shot clean through me and into Bella. The bullet had penetrated her at the base of her neck where her collarbone was.

"Oh God, no. Bella, no! Baby, please…" I whispered in horror.

The blackness was threatening to pull me under just as I heard Twain's voice.

"Freeze! Police! Drop the gun and put your hands up!"

"Baby, please wake up. Please Kitten, don't leave me. I need you, baby, please!" I moaned into Bella's neck before I lost my fight.

The last thing I heard before I lost my fight was Charlie's voice telling me to hang on as he gently moved me to the floor beside my Bella. My response was simple.

"Save her. She's all that matters."

**CPOV (Charlie)**

I crouched down beside my daughter and her boyfriend. I assessed the situation quickly. Edward was lying draped over her, covering her with his body protectively. I saw one gunshot wound in Bella's arm and one in Edward's shoulder. I gently lifted him off of her and onto the floor beside her and only then did I notice a second gunshot wound in her neck. I froze.

"Edward? Edward, stay with me son, help is on the way." I whispered urgently to Edward. I could see that he was fast about to lose consciousness.

"Save her. She's all that matters." He replied weakly before his eyes slid closed.

I felt tears prickle my eyelids as I whipped off my flannel shirt and pressed it down onto the wound in his shoulder as I used my other hand to apply pressure on the wound in Bella's neck. Edward's last words rolled through my head. I couldn't allow this to happen. They both had to be okay. They both mattered.

"Twain! Mac! Get the EMT's in here quick! I'm losing them!" I screamed over my shoulder.

I could feel Bella's heartbeat slow down to an alarming rate and Edward's was not that much better. Somehow in their unconscious state they had reached out for each other and clasped hands. I glanced down in surprise as I watched their fingers flex around each other's hands. I really should not have been surprised. They always had orbited around one another.

After what seemed like an age, four EMT's came rushing into the room and crouched down beside me.

"Sir, can you release them please, we need to get them stabilised before we can move them."

I nodded numbly and slowly retracted my hands, which were now covered in blood. I scooted back a little to allow them room to work on them. I watched as they quickly and efficiently applied gauze to the gunshot wounds to stop the flow of blood and hooked them up to IV's.

They had to be ok. They just had to be. I could not lose my daughter. I could not allow us to lose Edward either as the loss of him would result in the loss of her too, no matter if she recovered from the wounds. She would never recover from losing him and nor he her.

Two hours later, I found myself pacing the lino floor in the trauma waiting room as I waited on word from the doctor's who were working on Bella and Edward. The door to the room swung open and in rushed Emmett, Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, Carlisle and Esme. They all surrounded me as each asked questions.

"Charlie, how are they?"

"Where are they?"

"What have they said?"

"What happened?"

I shook my head, unable to speak. Esme gently guided me over to the plastic seats and sat me down, dropping into the chair beside me. I recounted the whole night to them. The kids and Carlisle stood around me and Esme in a half circle as they listened quietly. There was a long silence once I finished before Emmett finally spoke up.

"They have to be ok. They will be. I can't lose them. I can't lose my brother again."

His voice was a pained whisper. I craned my neck up to look at him. His face; normally so alight with humour was a mask of pain and fear. I stood shakily and pulled him into a hug. He had gone through so much with Edward when Bella left and I knew that he was the reason why Edward was still here today but this was the last thing he needed.

**CPOV (Carlisle)**

As a doctor, you see a lot of tragedy and pain along with happiness and joy but when it comes to your own children, you never want to see any hint of pain. When the call had come from NYPD that Edward and Bella had been shot and taken to Manhattan Memorial you can imagine how surreal the situation felt to me.

My son and who I considered to be my daughter were currently in surgery and from what I had heard of their injuries I knew they would be ok. Hopefully. But the parent in me was in turmoil. My child was in surgery all because of one woman's insane infatuation with him. Had my son not lived through enough pain already? For eight years I watched him coast through life like a zombie. The worst time had been when Emmett came to us and told us about his drug and drinking problems.

Sure, we had gotten him back on track, but he was never the same after he got sober. The son I had watched grow up had gone. Without Bella, Edward was a shell of the person he used to be when she was still a part of his life. Gone was the carefree, fun loving Edward and in his place we got a quiet, withdrawn one. Lord only knows how many times I had prayed for our Edward to return to us.

The day we called him and he told us that he had seen Bella we noticed a difference in his voice. It was lighter; happier. It was the voice of the Edward that I remembered from his childhood. All it had taken was for him to gain his best friend back. The best friend that also happened to be his soul mate. It was a joyous day for his mother and I too.

Now. Now I had to pray again. I prayed for the safe return of both my son and my daughter.

**EmPOV**

The waiting room was silent as we each sat lost in our thoughts. My thoughts? Mine were full of the image of Edward on the bathroom floor covered in blood. That image had haunted me for years. No amount of therapy had erased that image from my mind. Sure, we had gotten our old Edward back, but that still didn't stop the images from cropping up at the worst times and scaring the shit out of me. This was one of those times.

I had seen way too much of my brother's blood than I cared to see and now to add to those images from four years ago, I had a total new set. Floating through my mind were images of Edward and Bella lying in coffins with their hands crossed over their chests. Their pale, lifeless images were messing with my mind and I was slowly going insane with worry that those images may just come true.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to shout. I wanted to kill. I wanted to kill Tanya. And Jacob. And Jared. And the doctor too if they didn't hurry and come and tell us something soon.

**CPOV (Charlie)**

The door swung open once again and we all looked up to see the doctor standing in the doorway. I didn't like the look on his face. It was sympathetic and compassionate. Isn't that how all doctors look when they are about to deliver bad news? Do they teach them how to perfect that look in med school or some shit?

I stood shakily from my seat and faced him head on. I watched as he took slow measured steps into the room and came to stand before us; clasping his hands together in front of him.

"I'm sorry…"

That was all I heard before a scream of 'No' rent through the air. It didn't take me long to realise that the shout had come from my mouth.

"No, it can't be…" I whispered as I sank down onto the chair.

The world; my world was over. My daughter was gone. I couldn't listen to anymore. I couldn't stay here.

I abruptly stood from my chair and stormed out of the room, not stopping to hear what the people behind me had to say. I couldn't stop. I didn't want to, so I left.

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><p><em><strong>AN: Okay people, another short chappie, but I'm expecting a lot of flak for this one so I decided to leave it here. Let me know what you think. Be brutal.**_

_**I know that you will all be upset by the turn of events; especially since it took me so long to update, but trust me, for where I want to take this story, it had to be this way. Sorry, folks!**_


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N - What's this? Another chapter so soon? I must really love you guys!**_

_**This chapter is dedicated to my 'Avid Reader' Sandym. Don't you trust me, hun? Hopefully by the time you get to the end of this, your faith will be fully restored!**_

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty Five<strong>

**EPOV**

Black. That's all I could see. I was surrounded by blackness. The only constant thing was an annoying _beep, beep, beep_, coming from my left. It took me a long while to realise that the only reason I could see black was because my eyes were closed. I slowly pried my eyelids open and found myself staring up at a white tiled ceiling. Hospital. I was in a hospital. The sterile atmosphere confirmed my suspicion. I turned my head and saw my mother sleeping in a chair beside my bed. My father and brother were also asleep on a sofa in the corner, leaning against one another.

I was confused. Why was I here? Why was I lying in a hospital bed on my back?

As soon as that thought left my mind memories crashed through me. In my minds eye I saw the full action replay of the shooting. Picture after picture flew through my mind until finally the reel settled on the last image I had of Bella. Of her lying beneath me, soaked in blood and a bullet hole to her neck. I gasped and sat up.

"Bella!" I cried as I felt a burning pain in my shoulder causing black spots to float in front of my vision again.

"Edward! You're awake. You're ok!" I heard my mom say from beside me.

Her voice sounded as if it was off in the distance and coming through a tunnel. I fought the darkness threatening to envelope me again.

"Bella. Where's Bella?" I slurred.

I didn't hear my mother's answer as I slumped back onto the bed and lost consciousness again.

The second time I awoke I felt a lot calmer and it didn't take me as long to recall the event of the previous days. That's not to say that I didn't ask questions though. I did. It was just that no one gave me any concrete answers. None of the nurses would tell me where my Bella was or even how she was; telling me instead to just rest and wait for the doctor. I was frustrated. I was worried and I was in pain. My shoulder throbbed dully, reminding me of what had happened, so again, I would question where Bella was and how she was and again the nurses would tell me to wait for the doctor. It was a vicious circle and I hoped that it would end soon.

I had been lying, staring up at the ceiling when the door swung open and Charlie walked in. I gently lifted myself up into a sitting position and looked at him. He looked awful. His eyes were bloodshot red, his hair and clothes were in disarray and he looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Charlie, where's Bella? How is she?" I demanded as soon as he stopped at my bedside.

Charlie dropped his head and refused to meet my eyes. Dread filled my abdomen.

"Charlie?" I whispered fearfully.

He finally looked up and I was shocked to see unshed tears swimming in his eyes.

"She's in the room next door." He said quietly.

I breathed a sigh of relief. She was ok. I think. One look at Charlie's face told me that that was not all.

"What is it, Charlie? What aren't you telling me?" I asked.

Charlie took a deep breath, steeling himself.

"She's in a coma. She lost a lot of blood and they managed to stabilise her, but she slipped into a coma during surgery. They don't know if she'll wake up." He choked out.

My heart stopped as did my breathing.

"No." I whispered.

Charlie nodded, "They're saying that if she doesn't wake up within the next five days, I have to…to…I have to decide." He said as tears overflowed and fell down his cheeks.

I understood with perfect clarity what he was saying and what he wasn't saying. The doctors were telling him that he would have to decide to pull the plug or not. They were asking him to end his own daughter's life; to take away the chance of her ever waking up. To take away the flame of hope forever.

"No." I said again but more clearly.

He nodded again as tears continued to pour from his eyes. My eyes in the meantime were dry as a desert. Denial was raging through my veins as thickly as my blood was. It was not possible. They wouldn't say that. Bella would be fine. She would wake up. They had it wrong. They had to be wrong.

I don't recall when Charlie left my room and I sure as hell don't recall when my family turned up with dinner for me and themselves. I was in a daze; the only thing in mind was Bella and the words that Charlie had spoken. I could not lose her like that; I would not survive it if I did. I didn't notice the looks of sympathy and worry flashing across my family's faces as they sat around me, trying to talk to me. The only words to leave my mouth were:

"I want to see her. Now."

It took my father an hour of persuasion before the nurse finally relented and brought me a wheelchair to escort me into the next room. I didn't understand the need for it. I was only walking fifteen steps, but I went along with it because my need to see Bella was far greater than my need to fight with the nurse. She wheeled me into the room next to mine and as soon as I lay eyes on my Kitten I broke.

My beautiful girlfriend was lying prone in the bed hooked up to a million tubes and wires. The machine closest to her bed measured out her breaths and heartbeats, filling the room with a soft whoosh each time the black pump like apparatus decompressed.

The nurse wheeled me closer to the bed and clicked on my brakes. She quietly left the room, knowing that I wanted to be alone with my girl and my tears. I gently lifted the hand closest to me and brought it to my face. My tears fell unchecked as I gazed at her beautiful face, still so perfect and unmarred. She looked as if she were simply sleeping. Her expression was peaceful and calm. If I hadn't known that she was in fact in a coma, I would have thought that she was sleeping.

I stayed in that position for a long time. How much time, I don't know, but eventually I found my voice and started speaking to her.

"Kitten, it's me, Tiger. Wake up please. Wake up, baby. Don't leave me here all alone, I won't survive it if you left me. I would follow you. As soon as I could I would follow you. I need you, baby, so, so much. Please. Come back to me. I love you, baby, please come back to me." I whispered to her as I clutched her hand tightly in my own.

I waited for a beat to see if there was any change before I started speaking again. There wasn't.

"Baby, please? For me? Come on back. If you don't, the doc's are telling Charlie that they will have to turn off the life support. You know what that means don't you? You won't be here anymore and if you're not here then what is the use of me being here? I need you to live, Kitten. I can't breath right without you. If you go, I go; it's as simple as that." I said firmly.

There were several loud gasps from behind me. I twisted in the chair and found my entire family and Bella's standing there with their hands over their mouths and their eyes wide in fright. I scanned each face before turning back to Bella. I didn't care what they had heard. I didn't care what they thought about what I had said. It was the truth. Without Bella, there was no Edward.

**CPOV (Charlie)**

"Baby, please? For me? Come on back. If you don't, the doc's are telling Charlie that they will have to turn off the life support. You know what that means don't you? You won't be here anymore and if you're not here then what is the use of me being here? I need you to live, Kitten. I can't breath right without you. If you go, I go; it's as simple as that." I heard Edward say from beside Bella's bed and gasped.

Beside me Sue, Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Alice, Rose, Renee and Phil all gasped in horror too. Horror for the words that Edward was saying. He was giving up. He was accepting death in the event of Bella's. He was choosing not to live without her. To be truthful, I don't think there ever was a choice. He had lived without her once and look at where he ended up, but to lose her now and so permanently would be the end of him. I somewhat thought that the only reason he had survived those eight years was because he knew that she was out there somewhere and somehow they would end up meeting again. But if we lost her now, it would be a more permanent situation and there would no hope of bumping into her again ever.

As much as it would kill me inside to make the decision to turn off the life support if that time came, it would kill Edward outright. My pulling the plug would end the life of not one, but two people. Was I strong enough to shoulder that for the rest of my days?

**BPOV**

I was surrounded by darkness and silence until I heard the one voice I never thought I would hear again. I strained my ears to hear what he was saying but only caught snippets.

"_Kitten, it's me, Tiger. Wake up please. Wake up, baby. Don't leave me here all alone, I won't survive it if you left me…"_

The voice faded out again and I huffed in frustration. The voice was a comfort to me and I wanted to hear it more.

"_Baby, please? For me? Come on back…You won't be here anymore and if you're not here then what is the use of me being here?...If you go, I go; it's as simple as that."_

He sounded so sad and in so much pain. I wanted to reach out and touch him; to comfort him. My hand itched to reach for him but my entire body felt heavy and unresponsive. His words were tearing at my heart. He was telling me that his survival depended on mine. For him to live, I had to live.

The problem was; I had no idea how to get back.

**EPOV**

I spent the next four days in Bella's room. I refused to leave. The nurses and the doctors all came in and tried to make me go back to my room, but I stood; or rather sat, firm. Until she woke up, I would not be leaving her side. They left me alone with her eventually, only coming in at intervals to make sure I was ok and not in need of any pain meds. I waved them away each time. The pain in my shoulder was in no way on par with the pain in my heart. I would gladly suffer my shoulder pain in order to stay be her side.

Day five dawned bright and clear; a mockery on my black mood. Today was the day. Day five. The last chance I had to get Bella to wake up or lose her forever. I had spent the last few days talking and pleading with her but had had no response whatsoever. The doctors all said that it was because she was not here anymore; that only her body was here, being kept alive by the life support machine. I refused to believe it. If that were the case and she wasn't here anymore, why did I still feel the pulse of electricity? How was it that my heart could still feel her here?

No, she was here. She was just…lost.

I would find a way to bring her back. No matter what it took. I just had to persuade the doctors to give us more time.

I was still speaking to my love when Charlie walked in with the doctor. I glanced up and looked from one to the other. The solemn looks on their faces confirmed what I had thought. They were here to switch off the life support. They were going to take her away from me. I jumped up from my seat and placed my body in between them and the machine and Bella and dropped to a defensive stance.

"No!" I snarled.

"Edward…" Charlie started.

"No!" I roared again, "You will not do this! How can you do this, Charlie? She's your daughter!"

Charlie shook his head sadly.

"She is and she always will be, but that's not her anymore, son. She's not here anymore. The least I can do is let her go, as much as I don't want to." He said softly.

"She is here! I can still feel her here! She hasn't gone anywhere, Charlie, she's still here." I replied, my voice dropping to a whisper at the end.

My eyes filled with tears that threatened to spill over. Charlie crossed the room and came to stand beside me, his hand on my good shoulder. I tensed further and shifted my body so that I was still blocking her from them.

"Edward, we have to let her go. She would not want this life; breathing through a tube and not even being able to go to the bathroom on her own steam. Please, it's the right thing to do." He pleaded with me.

I stared at him for several long moments; his eyes pleading with me to understand his reasons and mine begging him not to do this – to not kill the only thing that kept my tied to the earth. I finally sighed and slumped my shoulders when I realised that no matter what I said, he would not relent. He gently squeezed my shoulder and dropped his hand.

"I'll let you say goodbye. We'll wait outside the door." He murmured before turning and exiting the room, motioning for the doctor to follow him.

I stayed staring at the closed door for a moment before I slowly turned and looked down at my only love, wondering how I could find the words to let her go and say goodbye. I really, _really_ didn't want to say goodbye. I wanted her to wake up and stay with me; grow old with me, marry me, have my children.

The alternative was to lose her now and follow her as soon as I could. Suicide was never a good idea and after my last attempt, I had given up on that, realising that I would be hurting my family, but the thought of there being no Bella in my life made my life look like hell. A hell that I wanted no part of. It was a different matter when I knew she was alive and living but this was different. This time, she would not be alive; there would be no hope of seeing her beautiful face again one day. This time, I would lose her for good and that reality tore at my heart, slowly killing me.

I sank down onto the chair I had jumped out of and took her lifeless hand in mine once again, allowing the tears to run down my face unchecked again.

"Bella, baby, please, if you can hear me, please come back. The doctor's here to turn off the life support machine and unless you wake up, I'll lose you. Please, Kitten, please, I'm begging you; don't let this be the end of us. I love you, Kitten, I need you. Please, baby, wake up. I can't say goodbye, I can't…I don't…" I started to sob as the reality of the situation crashed through me.

I bent my head over our clasped hands and sobbed, my body shaking with the force of them.

"Please, Bella…" I whispered brokenly.

I don't know how long I sat there, crying and begging her to stay until the door opened again and my father and brother came in and gently lifted me from the seat and helped me out of the room. It wasn't until they had cleared through the doorway did I come back to reality and started fighting them.

"No, let me go! She needs me! I have to stay with her! She needs me! Please, let me go! Bella! Let me go! Bella! Please, baby!"

**EmPOV**

I tried to keep my arms locked tightly around my brother as he kicked and screamed for Bella; his tortured cries were ripping me apart inside. Each syllable rising in volume and each cry for Bella becoming more desperate. I had never seen him like this and it frightened me more than the sight of him high and drunk had. I had no idea how to help him.

We finally managed to tackle him into his room next door and the doctor stuck him with a sedative. It wasn't long after that when his eyes closed and he slipped into unconsciousness. The pain on his face did not recede with his grip on reality and I feared that it never would. His words from five days ago came back to haunt me.

"_...If you go, I go; it's as simple as that."_

He wouldn't, would he? His previous attempt to take his own life came back in the normal rush of images and I sucked in a deep painful breath. I knew the answer to my own question.

Without a doubt; he would.

**CPOV (Carlisle)**

I kept my gaze on my youngest son as he slept with the aid of a sedative and I couldn't help the tears that filled my eyes and ran down my face. The memory of him just moments before was by far the worst of my life. It surpassed the memory of seeing him high and drunk by miles. I would never forget the look of absolute devastation and pain on his face. I had failed as a parent. I had failed to keep my child from hurting.

The question now was; could I keep him from doing something drastic.

**CPOV (Charlie)**

"I love you, baby girl. I'm sorry that I have had to make this choice but I know that if you could talk you would be telling me that death would be better than this half life. I'll take care of Edward, Bells; I promise he'll be ok. I'll make sure of it. Look for me in heaven; I'll see you there in a few years."

I smiled down at my child through my tears. This was by far the hardest thing I had ever had to do; saying goodbye to my daughter long before it should be her time. I had seen the effect this whole situation had had on Edward and I had seen his full on break down in the hallway earlier and I wondered if I could keep my promise and ensure that Edward was safe and without harm. Thinking back onto his words from days ago, I somehow doubted it, but I would try nonetheless.

**BPOV **

"_No, let me go! She needs me! I have to stay with her! She needs me! Please, let me go! Bella! Let me go! Bella! Please, baby!"_

Edward's voice broke through the darkness in the most spectacular way. The pain and devastation in his voice pulled me to the surface but kept me just under, floating. I could hear everything yet I still couldn't open my eyes. I heard the sounds of a struggle as they pulled my Edward from my room, screaming and crying for me. I heard his sobs and his pleas and they ripped through me; pulling me back to reality – to him.

I heard first Esme, Alice, Rose, and Jasper and then finally Phil and Renee all come in say various forms of goodbye before it fell silent again. Their words of farewell confused me; why were they saying goodbye to and why were they all crying?

It wasn't long after it had gone silent when I heard my dad's voice.

"I love you, baby girl. I'm sorry that I have had to make this choice but I know that if you could talk you would be telling me that death would be better than this half life. I'll take care of Edward, Bells; I promise he'll be ok. I'll make sure of it. Look for me in heaven; I'll see you there in a few years."

Heaven? Who was going to heaven and why would my father be asking me to look for him there? Was he dying? Was I?

I heard the tears in my dad's voice and they pulled me even further to the surface until finally I found the strength to move. My hand. It wasn't much, but I could tell by my father's gasp that he had either felt it or seen it.

"Bella? Sweetheart? Can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me?" Dad whispered in my ear.

I flexed my fingers and felt them tighten around his. I heard him gasp again.

"Bella? Bells, can you open your eyes for me sweetie?" he whispered with retrained excitement in his voice.

My eyelids fluttered until I finally managed to pry them open just enough to see the blurry image of my father hovering over me with a huge grin on his face.

"Oh, thank you God! You're awake. You're awake!" he exclaimed.

I tried to move my mouth to ask about Edward but couldn't. I felt the plastic tube in my mouth and frowned.

"Don't try to talk, honey. I'll get the doctor. Hang on for me." Dad said as he reached over and pressed the red button on the wall beside my bed.

I fought against the tiredness as dad talked excitedly to me, telling me to stay with him, to not give up. I saw the doctor come into the room and over to the bed. He gently lifted my eyelids and shone a light through them making me blink and shrink away at the brightness. He checked the monitors that were around me and smiled.

"Welcome back, Miss Swan. You gave us quite a scare. How do you feel?" he asked softly.

I lifted my trembling hand and gave him a small thumbs up and then a sideways thumb to which he chuckled.

"Well, it's good to know that you have a sense of humour. You can sleep now. We'll remove the machines. Your responses are all up to scratch so it looks like you don't need this to breath for you anymore." He said.

I nodded and then looked over to my dad. I placed a hand on my heart and then signed the letter 'E' in the air above me to ask about Edward. Dad chuckled softly, yet sadly.

"He's ok. He's under sedation right now in the next room. I'll let him know that you're awake and ok when he wakes up." Dad answered my silent question.

I frowned at him and asked 'why' with my eyes. Dad sighed and dropped his eyes from me.

"It's a long story, Bells and you need rest. I promise to tell you later, but just sleep for now." He finally said quietly.

I nodded in acceptance and gave in to the call of sleep.

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><p><em><strong>AN – Well, she's awake…Finally! You didn't really think I would kill her, did you? Shame on if you did, O Ye of little faith!**_

_**This isn't the HEA you're waiting for…don't forget we have some unfinished business to attend to first!**_

_**As always - R&R people!**_


	26. Chapter 26

**Word of Warning folks - This chapter is a tad short, but in order to keep the flow of the story, it had to be this way.**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty Six<strong>

**EPOV**

I woke up groggily to a darkened room and lay on my back for several long moments before the previous events came crashing down on me.

They had done it. They had actually done it. My love - my life - was gone. The amount of pain that was crashing through my body was overwhelming and debilitating. Wave after wave of excruciating pain of loss was flowing through me leaving me breathless and incoherent. I welcomed the numbness that followed it. I stared unseeingly up at the ceiling, not even moving to see who had walked into the room. There was no one else I wanted to see; now or ever. The only person that I wanted to see, that could even remotely make this all better was gone and was never coming back.

I felt a warm hand caressing my hair, but it felt wrong. It wasn't _her_ hand. I knew they were talking to me, but I wasn't registering anything they were saying to me. I didn't want to hear anything except my angel's voice and I would never hear that again so what was the point of listening to anything else?

I felt weak and broken. Maybe I had finally lost my mind. Maybe my grief was so great that my mind had finally broken and become irreparable. God, I hoped so. I sure as hell didn't want to be coherent enough to deal with the full amount of pain.

I continued to stare at the ceiling, ignoring whoever it was that was talking to me. I heard several other voices join the first one but paid them no mind either. I heard snippets of conversation but made no attempt to insert myself into it.

"…Catatonic…Won't respond…"

"Is there anything you can do?"

"We can have one of our resident psychologists come down and talk to him."

"I think that would be best."

"It could just be shock, you know? Maybe if we tell him…"

"No, she wants to do that herself."

"So maybe that will bring him out?"

"Has anyone told him about her yet?"

"No. He just woke up in this state."

"Did you think that maybe if you just told him, it may bring him out?"

"Hmm…I hadn't considered that…"

I briefly wondered who they were talking about, but my broken mind simply shrugged it off. I didn't care. I cared about nothing anymore. All I wanted now was to join my Kitten. As soon as fucking possible.

"Edward? Son, It's me, dad. Can you hear me, son?"

"Carlisle, just tell him. I can't bear to see him like this! He hasn't moved all day!"

"I can't just blurt it out, I need to know that he's listening first and gauge his attentiveness and-"

"Carlisle! He's your son, not a patient! Take off your doctor's hat for one moment and handle this as his father!"

I heard a sigh from the person next to me and almost smiled. Almost being the operative word. My muscles refused to move on my command; like me heart, they too were frozen.

"Edward, son, you need to come back. Bella is awake. Bella is ok. She needs you to be ok son."

'Yeah right. They took her from me. She's gone and she's not coming back." I mentally scoffed at the voice though my mouth did not move and no sound came out.

"Edward, please, sweetie, talk to us. Bella is ok."

This voice was softer, sweeter; motherly. But still it was not the one voice I wanted to hear and I certainly didn't believe what it was saying. My Bella was not ok. I had seen her. I knew they had pulled the plug after I had been dragged from the room. She had looked the same as she had since I had first seen her after I woke up.

I totally tuned all of the voices out after that. I couldn't allow hope to unfurl inside me only to have it crushed when the truth hit me again. I gladly sank into the pits of despair and darkness; finding solace in those corners.

_This_ was my new reality.

**EmPOV**

I stared at the unmoving form of my brother as the doctor, mom and dad discussed and argued things around me. This zombie-like state was on a completely new level; it was unnerving. It was scary. Edward simply stared, unblinking, up at the white tiled ceiling. He hadn't even flinched when Bella's name had been spoken. At least when she left eight years ago, he had flinched and cowered away despite his dead state, but now…now, he simply lay there as if he couldn't hear us.

I felt anger at the doctor's and at Charlie for causing my brother to be in this state. Rationally I knew there was no way they could have known this would happen. But my irrational mind and my aching heart weren't listening to reason right now.

The more I sat there and stared at my brother and the more I heard mom and dad argue about how to deal with this situation; the more angry and frustrated I became. All of a sudden an idea struck me; born out of frustration and desperation. If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, why not bring Mohammed to the mountain? I sprung up, much to the surprise of the gathered company and strode out of the room and into the one next door.

Bella was sitting up in bed as she fidgeted with the blanket in her lap. She looked up in surprise when I entered and smiled at me weakly.

"Emmett! How is Edward? Is he awake? Can I see him?" she rushed out all in one breath.

I gave her a weak smile in return and crossed the room to her bed, glancing at the IV attached to her arm as I approached.

"Bella, Edward is in a bad way. He was sedated yesterday just before you woke and he since he woke up this afternoon he hasn't said a word and nor has he moved." I paused to take a deep breath before I continued, "He thinks you died. He thinks that when they pulled the plug you didn't survive and it's killed him emotionally. He needs you Bella." I finished softly.

Bella was crying, her delicate shoulder heaving with the force of her sobs. I gently wrapped my arm around her and soothed her best I could. She cried for several long moments before she calmed enough to speak. The first words out her mouth caused me to smile widely, my first true smile in days.

"Take me to him, Em. I need him too." She said softly, yet urgently.

I nodded and stood from the bed. I eyed the IV pole and found that it had wheels. I turned back to Bella.

"I'm going to lift you into my arms but you'll need to grab the IV, okay?" I said to her.

"Fine. Whatever. Just get me there." She replied dismissively.

I bent and gently lifted her off the bed and into my arms, bridal style. She grabbed the IV pole and we started towards the door.

It was slow going because of the manoeuvring of the pole but finally we made it into Edward's room. Everyone stopped talking when I appeared in the doorway with Bella in my arms. Dad looked at me incredulously and mom simply smiled.

"Emmett, what are you doing?" dad asked.

"She needs him, he needs her. You guys were all arguing about how to go about getting him out of his zombie state; I simply went to the source of it. The way you lot were going, Edward would never come out of it." I shrugged.

I brushed past my parents and the doctor and carefully sat Bella down on the bed beside Edward. I only hoped this worked.

**EPOV**

Through the dark abyss I felt it. I felt her. The ever present electricity that always told me when she was near. I revelled in it. If this was the last time I would feel it for a while then I sure was going to savour it.

It was then that I heard the voices again.

"Emmett, what are you doing?"

"She needs him, he needs her. You guys were all arguing about how to go about getting him out of his zombie state; I simply went to the source of it. The way you lot were going, Edward would never come out of it."

I snorted internally and for the first time since I opened my eyes today I felt the muscles in my face twitch.

The pulse moved closer to me until I could feel it coming from right beside me. My hand twitched on the bed as it itched to reach out towards the familiar pulsing electricity. I longed to hear her voice again and as if my wish had been answered, she spoke.

"Edward? Honey, it's me. I'm here. I'm ok. I came back to you, now I need you to come back to me." she whispered tearfully.

I slowly felt myself coming back to myself and my entire body jerked in reaction to her as soon as she spoke. I blinked to clear the haze from my vision. Slowly, ever so slowly, I turned my head towards her voice. My green eyes met her beautiful brown ones. I drank her in; my eyes dancing over her features as if to memorize them once again. Without any conscious thought I bolted upright and pulled her into my arms, ignoring the sharp pain in my shoulder and even her own injuries. I buried my face into her neck and breathed her in. Nearly two weeks in the hospital had not erased her unique scent. I inhaled deeply and exhaled sharply, gasping as I tried to breathe in her scent as quickly as possible.

"Amazing…I've never seen anything like it…" I heard from across the room.

I ignored the voice. All that mattered was the angel in my arms.

"Bella…"I whispered reverently.

"Edward, it's ok, I'm ok. I'm here, honey, I'm here." she whispered back.

"I love you, Kitten." I murmured into her neck.

"I love you too, Tiger." She replied softly; her love for me clear in her voice.

I pulled back only enough to look into her eyes. I brought one hand round to cup her cheek as I gazed at her tenderly.

"Don't ever do that to me again, baby. I can't…I won't survive without you." I said urgently.

She shook her head, "Never again, honey. I'm sorry." She replied gently.

I sighed and leaned my head against her forehead and closed my eyes in contentment. My Kitten was here and she was alive. What more could I have asked for?

**CPOV (Carlisle)**

I stared in absolute amazement as with just one sentence and one touch, Bella brought my son back. I guess I really had underestimated their connection. I never would again.

**Esme POV**

My children were back, alive and well. What more could a mother ask for?

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><p><em><strong>AN – Phew! They're now both back and together again. Who here needed tissues during the last couple of chapters? Okay, next chapter will be a little more light hearted before the finale drama kicks in. There are only a few more chapters left for this story, so stay with me, yeah?**_

_**As always R&R people! Thanks to all those who have reviewed so far – you guys make my day!**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N – Okay, this chapter is pure fluff with just a dash of drama. I felt that these two needed a break from all the major drama while they recovered. Don't worry, the drama returns very soon!**_

_**Here's Chapter 27 – Enjoy!**_

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty Seven<strong>

**BPOV**

Two weeks in hospital would be enough to drive anyone insane. Thankfully I was released before I could completely lose my mind due to boredom and the sterile smells. In total I stayed in hospital for a month while my body recovered. Edward was released four days after I woke up but the over protective ass refused to leave my side unless he really had to for the remainder of my stay. I couldn't really blame him. I, myself, was suffering from separation anxiety after the two days of my captivity away from him. I may have teased him for being overly dependent on me but in truth, I was just as dependent on him.

Of course, he saw right through me and didn't take my teasing too seriously. He simply shrugged and gave me a look that simply said '_And? Your point?_'. I didn't have one so I didn't respond.

My doctor suggested I speak to a shrink to deal with everything that had happened but I politely thanked him and told him that I would think about it. I knew that at some point I may need to speak with a professional but right now, I just wanted to concentrate on getting better. Edward and I had discussed the topic and he had agreed to see someone with me once I had recovered and had managed to wrap my head around everything.

Dad visited me as often as he could before he had to return to LA for work. He had already stayed a week over his vacation time. He had informed us that Tanya was in jail awaiting trail and had entered a temporary insanity plea. Both Edward and I had snorted in disbelief. Temporary? There was nothing temporary about her insanity. It had been building for eight years until she finally snapped. Needless to say, the judge also ruled in Kate's favour in regards to the battle of their grandparent's will in the face of her impending incarceration.

Kate stopped in to inform me of the ruling the day it had been given. I felt guilty for leaving her in the lurch but she didn't hesitate to assure me that Luke and his team had done a good job in my absence. She thanked me for my hard work and promised to keep in touch. It was a true testament of my security in my relationship with Edward when I didn't even bat an eyelid when she hugged him extra tight and whispered that she was glad he was ok. I knew that she didn't view my Edward in that way and Edward certainly didn't have eyes for any other woman besides me; a fact which he proved over my remainder two weeks in hospital by not even noticing the batting eyelids and flirtious smiles from the nurses.

One nurse in particular seemed to have taken a huge liking to my Edward and used any and all opportunities to drop into my room whenever she was working. Nurse Carmen Styth went beyond the smiles and batted eyelids and actually had the audacity to ask him out right in front of me. The surprised and disgusted look on Edward's face made me laugh, despite the jealousy coursing through me.

**Flashback**

_Edward and I were sitting in comfortable silence as we read some of the magazines that Alice had kindly dropped off for me when the door swung open and Nurse Styth strolled in. Ignoring me, she shot Edward a flirty smile, which he failed to notice as he kept his eyes on the page he was on; his hand entwined with mine on the bed. I smiled in victory to myself._

"_Good afternoon, Edward." She purred as she stopped next to him._

_Edward glanced up and back down to the page he was on; no amount of interest shown in his gorgeous features._

"_Hello, Nurse Styth." He mumbled as his thumb caressed my knuckles._

_I watched as her face fell slightly before she composed herself, plastering a smile back on as she shot me a scathing look. I snorted quietly to myself at her desperate attempts to catch my boyfriends' attention. I felt a wave of jealousy wash through me as she laid a hand on his shoulder. I stiffened and Edward felt it. He looked up from the magazine and shot me a 'What?' look. I shook my head and then flickered my eyes over to the nurse. Edward looked up and only then realised that she had her hand on his shoulder. He stiffened too and subtlety moved forward so that her hand fell off. I smirked at the crestfallen look on her face._

_She cleared her throat and straightened up._

"_Edward, you must be tired and hungry after spending so much time caring for your friend here. Why don't I treat you to a nice lunch at the café down the road? You can come back after getting come fresh air. I'm sure Ms Swan wouldn't mind if I stole you away for a couple of hours, right?" she simpered._

_The small wave of jealousy turned into a full tsunami as I watched her display. Edward slowly stood from the seat, keeping his hand in mine. His face was a mask of surprise and disgust. The disgust was so prominent on his face that I had to smile and hold in my laugh. Nurse Styth really had no idea what she was about to unleash. I knew Edward well enough to know that the calm exterior he was currently exuding belied the anger and disgust underneath. His eyes could never lie. Not to me._

"_I'm sorry, I'm busy." He replied shortly._

_Nurse Styth was not to be deterred._

"_Oh, c'mon, I'm sure you can spare an hour for food. You can't starve yourself. No doubt, your friend will be glad for some alone time to do some…girly things. She may want to clean up for her boyfriend." She returned with an air of confidence._

_Oh god, she really was blind, wasn't she? Had she not noticed how tightly Edward was clutching onto my hand? And was she so stupid not to realise that aside from Emmett and Jasper, no other man had visited me. Not to mention the fact that Edward only left at night to sleep and even then, he tended to stay with me more often than not?_

_I decided to play a little. I was steadily becoming angry at her blatant stupidity and would relish the opportunity to take her down a notch._

"_She is right, Edward. I do need to clean up for my boyfriend." I chimed in cheerfully._

_Edward looked down at me. He knew I was faking the cheer. He asked me silently what I was up to but I just shot him a conspirator smile. He smiled back in understanding._

"_See! Lets leave her to it and go for a lunch date." Nurse Styth said gleefully._

_Little did she know…_

"_And what if her boyfriend doesn't care what she looks like? What if he thinks that even in her pyjama's and bed hair she is still the most beautiful thing he has ever seen?" Edward asked, playing along._

"_Every girl needs girl time, Edward. Especially if she had been lying in a hospital bed for days on end." Nurse Styth exclaimed._

"_Well, her boyfriend really doesn't care. She is still beautiful in his eyes." Edward replied calmly as he brushed his thumb across the back of my hand._

"_You can't know that, Edward." She tried to point out._

_I snorted and Edward smiled in response. He was enjoying this. He was definitely going to enjoy informing Nurse Styth of the truth._

"_Yes he can." I supplied, grinning._

_Nurse Styth gave me a condescending look._

"_Oh, sweetie, no he can't. Your boyfriend is the only one who can know that for sure." She said to me with a fake smile on her overly made up face._

"_Hmm…It's a good thing that _I'm _her boyfriend then isn't it?" Edward retorted._

_I watched with satisfaction as her face fell considerably._

"_Y-you're her…b-but, I thought you guys were just friends?" she stammered._

"_Well, you thought wrong. Bella is my girlfriend and best friend." Edward answered firmly._

_Nurse Styth flushed a bright red in embarrassment._

"_How nice. Have you been together long?" she asked hopefully._

_Seriously, was she stupid?_

"_We've been together for sixteen years." Edward replied with a sly smile._

_I couldn't help but chuckle at his convoluted answer. He had actually made it sound as if we had been a couple for that long. Needless to say Nurse Styth took that as her cue to leave with the remainder of her dignity._

**End Flashback**

I still laughed at thought of the look on her face as she left the room. It was truly priceless. I teased Edward for being so appealing to the opposite sex to which he retorted that he had the same problem with guys hitting on me. I merely shrugged in response to that. I really didn't want to go there, especially considering a guy was the reason we had been shot in the first place. That situation was still too fresh to joke about. maybe in years to come, but right now the wounds were too raw.

The day that I was released from hospital Edward took me back to his apartment citing the need to have me close to him. I didn't argue, despite the fact that whether he stayed with me at my place or I stayed with him at his, I hadn't been planning on being far from him anyway. Like I said, we were both suffering from the fear of being separated again.

All of our friends were waiting for us when we arrived at the apartment. Alice, Rose and Esme had cooked up a feast and Alice had gone overboard with the 'Welcome Home' decorations, but I didn't say anything. It felt good to be among those that I loved the most in the world.

We were all sitting around in the lounge when the buzzer sounded from the lobby. Edward got up to see who it was. He returned not ten seconds later with an unreadable look on his face. He looked at me and I read a small amount of worry in his eyes.

"Edward? What's wrong, Tiger?" I asked, concerned.

"It's Renee, baby. She's on her way up." He replied quietly.

I was shocked. The last time I had seen Renee was on my engagement to Jacob. Dad had told me that she and Phil had come to the hospital when they had been informed about the shooting but they both left immediately after saying their goodbyes when they thought I was being taken off of the life support. Dad had called her to let her know that I had woken up, but she hadn't come back to see me. Instead, she had informed dad that she and Phil were headed to Hawaii for a vacation which had been bought and paid for. They couldn't get a refund so had decided to go ahead and take the holiday. I had felt hurt and betrayed by that. When had my mother become so cold hearted?

Did she not have any feelings for me? Did she not even care enough to grieve for me? No, not even 24 hours after they had assumed that I had died, she had jetted off on vacation. What mother does that shit? How could she even contemplate a vacation so soon after losing her child? Albeit, I hadn't died, but still, she didn't know that until Dad had called her.

"Kitten, do you want me to send her away? Just say the word and she's gone, baby." Edward said softly.

I looked up into his vibrant green eyes that were shining with love and concern for me. I smiled.

"No, its ok, honey. Let her come. I have a few choice words for her anyway." I answered.

Edward smiled tentatively at me and I shot him a reassuring one back. just then there was a knock on his door and he left to let her in.

"What the fuck does she think she's doing here?" Rose hissed from where she was seated on the love seat beside Emmett.

I shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine, Rose." I replied.

"You gonna be ok, Baby Bell?" Emmett asked.

I smiled at him, "Yeah, Brother Bear. I have all of you here, don't I?"

He grinned back at me, "Always."

Edward walked back into the room and all conversation stopped as everyone eyed Renee cautiously. Renee for her part stood proudly in the doorway. She was impeccably dressed in a beige Chanel pant suit with a cream leather bag swinging from her arm, her hair was swept up into an elegant chignon and her sunglasses rested on top of her head, no matter that it was cloudy outside. She posed in the doorway with one hand on her hip and gazed around the room; taking in her audience until her eyes finally came to rest on me.

"Isabella! Oh, darling, it's so good to see you awake!" she squealed making Edward grimace beside her.

I slowly rose from my seat on the couch and faced her, deliberately keeping my face blank. Edward moved from her side and came to mine, wrapping one arm around my waist and dropping a kiss on my head. Renee watched the display with shrewd, narrowed eyes. I watched as several emotions played across her face before she settled her face into a blank mask too.

"Hello, Renee. What are you doing here?" I asked coolly.

"I came to see my daughter of course, silly!" she trilled in a fake happy voice.

I sighed, "Yes, but why now? Why not two weeks ago when Dad called and told you that I was awake?" I replied.

"I was away. Phil and I were in Hawaii. Non-refundable tickets." She shrugged.

I snorted, "Renee, I know for a fact that you left two days _after_ I woke up, so stop with the excuses. Not to mention that you actually planned on still going on the holiday despite the fact that as far as you were aware, you only child had _died_!" I exclaimed incredulously.

Renee stared at me for a long while before she swept her eyes across the room and all of the assembled company. She swung her eyes back to me and gave me a wry smile.

"Isabella, can we discuss this in private. This is a conversation for family only." She said curtly.

I shook my head and I felt Edward's hand tighten on my waist, pulling me closer, "These people are my family, so anything you have to say can be said in front of them." I stated firmly.

"Isabella-" she started.

"It's Bella." I snarled.

She knew I hated to be called by my full given name.

"_Isabella_, I would rather discuss this with you without-," she paused and looked around at my family once again, "these people eavesdropping." She finished in a snooty voice.

"Renee, you can talk here or you can leave, those are your only options." Edward spoke up in a eerily calm voice.

Renee turned her surprised eyes on him, "And who are you to order me around? You are nothing more than a passing fad in my daughters' life. She belongs with Jacob." She sneered.

I heard Edward suck in a sharp breath and I felt anger rise up within me. I stepped out of his arms and took a step towards Renee. I narrowed my eyes and glared at her.

"Number one, this is his house you are standing in so he has every right to order you around if you choose to disrespect him. Number two, Edward is my past, present and hopefully future, so he is in no way a 'passing fad' as you so eloquently put it and Number three, I definitely am not a piece of property so I do not belong to anyone and if I were to belong to anyone it would be Edward and Edward alone, got me?" I growled in her face.

She backed up in the face of my anger before she spoke again.

"Isabella, stop this. You love Jacob, you have know him for so long and all this one has done is break your heart. Come with me now and stop acting like a spoiled child." Renee said calmly as she held out her hand towards me in order to grab my arm.

She didn't have a chance to touch me as I felt Edward move to step up beside me. I looked up at him and felt a thrill shoot through me. The look on his face was lethal. His eyes were a dark bottle green and his nostrils were flared. He truly did look like a tiger protecting its mate.

"Enough! Lay one finger on her and I will _not_ hesitate to break it off. Get out of my apartment and don't ever come back." he growled.

He looked glorious in his fierce rage and he was all mine. I smiled proudly up at him.

"How dare you! Isabella! Did you hear that? He threatened to hurt me. Well, we'll just see what the police have to say about that!" Renee screeched.

I looked back at her at her threat. It was my turn to be fierce. This time, she was threatening _my_ mate.

"Try it. Try it and he won't have to break your fingers because I will do it for him. Call the police and we'll just see how accommodating they are when I inform them that _you_ came barging into Edward's home and threatened _him_." I hissed at her.

She blinked at me, her mouth hanging open in shock. I had never spoken to her in this way. All through school and college I had followed her lead. Eaten where she deemed worthy, dressed in the clothes that she stamped her approval on and I had even gone so far as to get engaged to a psychopath just because she pushed for it to happen. No more. After all that I had been through at Jacob's hands in the last few months, I refused to listen to her anymore.

"Isa-" she started.

"It's Bella! How many damn times does she have to tell you that, woman!" Rose screamed from behind us.

I had smile at her tenacity.

"Leave. Now." I snarled.

I was done. I didn't want to see her anymore. I turned and left the room, heading towards Edward's bedroom. I left Edward and the rest of them to ensure that the trash left the building.

The next week and a half was spent in a calm blissful state with Edward. Our friends and family came and went; simply checking up on us but for the most part it was just Edward and me. Edward had woken me up this morning with feather light kisses on my neck and shoulder sending me into a state of arousal in 0.4 seconds flat. Unfortunately we couldn't do anything as both his shoulder and my neck were still healing, but that didn't stop our wandering hands and teasing touches. He finally pulled away with a groan.

"Come on, Kitten, I'm taking you out for breakfast so get that sexy ass up and into the shower." He growled playfully at me.

I rose from the bed and looked back over my shoulder at him seductively, "Care to join me, Tiger?" I purred.

"Stop it, Bella, you know we can't so why tease me so?" he groaned.

I smiled, "The teasing is the foreplay, honey." I winked at him before I sashayed into the bathroom, leaving the door open a crack.

I heard a muffled 'Fuck' from him and giggled. Yeah, teasing was fun.

Two hours later, Edward and I were sat in a corner booth at a café two blocks down from his apartment. The waiter came up just as we sat down.

"Morning, Can I get you anything to drink?" he asked pleasantly.

"Two black coffees, please." Edward replied as he intertwined our fingers together on the table top.

"Sure thing. Are you ready to order food or would you like a few minutes?" The waiter answered.

"Can I get a Breakfast Special, please?" Edward turned to me, "Baby, do you know what you want?"

"I'll have the same, please." I replied.

"Coming up!" the waiter said cheerfully before he strolled away to place our orders.

We chatted lightly while we waited for our food as Edward played with my fingers on my left hand. He kept brushing his thumb over my ring finger and I started to wonder at it. Was he thinking what I think he was thinking? Was he thinking about marriage with me? I would be lying if I said that it wasn't something I had considered. It was. I wanted to marry Edward. I wanted to be Mrs. Edward Cullen. I had no doubt in my mind that he was my forever but we had never had _that_ conversation so I had not brought it up either. I wasn't sure if he thought it was too soon.

I was broken out of my musings as our waiter delivered our food and coffee. The Breakfast Special looked delicious. It wasn't overly huge in its portion but it had plenty of variety. Two sausages, two strips of bacon, a hash brown and a grilled tomato. My mouth watered at the sight of the food. I hadn't realised how hungry I was until the aroma's floated up to my nose. I dug in with gusto and Edward laughed at my enthusiasm.

"Hungry baby?" he teased.

"Mmm…this is good." I moaned as the first bite of sausage assaulted my taste buds.

"I know it wasn't anything I did for you to build up such an appetite so what's your excuse?" he growled playfully at me.

"Just hungry I guess." I said as I shrugged.

"Well, enjoy it then. I have a lot planned for today, baby." He replied.

I cocked an eyebrow at him, "Oh? Do tell." I asked.

He shook his head, "Nope. That you defeat the purpose of a surprise now wouldn't it?" he grinned at me over the rim of his coffee cup.

"Tiger, you know I hate surprises!" I whined.

He chuckled, "I know you do, baby, but this is something I want to do. I thought we could use some fun after so much drama." He said softly.

My face softened at this. I looked at him and gave him a loving smile. He smiled back, his love for me shining clearly in his eyes.

"Thank you, Tiger. I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too, Kitten. There is no need to thank me, I wanted to do this for you; for us." He replied quietly.

I continued to smile at him. He really was a perfect boyfriend.

**EPOV**

I was nervous.

I knew on some level that her answer would be what I was looking for, but that didn't stop the nervous butterflies from invading my stomach. Some would say that I was moving too fast but I didn't really care. I knew how I felt and I knew what I wanted; I was simply going after it.

If the last few weeks and months had taught me anything it was that nothing happened without you going for it. I had nearly lost my Kitten and I refused to be faced with that possibility again. Eight years ago I had lost her and myself in the process. Three weeks ago I had nearly lost her again for good and I never wanted to experience that amount pain ever again. Twice in my life was way more than what anyone should ever have to experience that level of sadness and pain. It had to get better from here on out, right?

I had planned the day out perfectly. First stop was breakfast and then I was taking her the park where there was an outdoor string quartet playing in a charity performance. After that I had organised a little surprise for her at Bella Italia. It only seemed fitting that the place that had come about because of her would be the place where I asked her the most important question of my life. I had managed to speak with Charlie before he left to go back to LA. That conversation was nerve wracking to say the least.

**Flashback**

"_Charlie, Can I have a word, please?" I asked nervously as I ran a hand through my hair._

"_Sure son, do you want to step outside so that we don't disturb Bella?" he replied as he nodded to the closed door of Bella's hospital room._

_I nodded in reply and followed him out of the room and into the hallway. We stood in the bustling hallway in silence as I tried to gather my thoughts and words. Eventually Charlie sighed._

"_Out with it Edward, what's eating at you?" he said gently._

"_Well…this really isn't where I thought I would be doing this but I have no other option right now and I know that you expect a little better but I promise to be the best that I can. I mean, I know that things are tense right now and that we haven't been together for long but when you know, you know. Do you know what I mean? I mean…what I mean is…what I'm saying is…" I rambled for a bit before Charlie cut me off with a hand on my good shoulder and a chuckle._

"_Just spit it out, son before you have an aneurysm." He was laughing at me._

_I took a deep breath before releasing it slowly._

"_I would like to ask Bella to marry me and I would like your permission to do so." I blurted out._

_There was a long silence before Charlie spoke. I was beginning to think that he would simply refuse me stating that my past was too fucked up for him to trust his only daughter into my hands. I gulped when he finally breathed out slowly._

"_Edward, my daughter is an independent soul, much like me. I won't presume to guess at her choices or question her decisions, but…I know that in this case both her choice and her decision is the same as mine." He paused and locked eyes with me, "I know that she will say yes. You are a good man, Edward. You've been to hell and back for my daughter and there is no one better for her out there, of that I am sure. You have my blessing, son." He finished._

_I finally breathed easier._

**End Flashback**

The concert at the park was sublime and the day was a perfect sunny day without a hint of rain, which was odd in itself due to the time of the year. Fall in New York was an unpredictable time. One moment it could be sunny and the next it could rain cats and dogs but it was no less a beautiful time.

I led Bella out of the park and to where I had parked my car. Her hand was firmly encased in mine and the ever present pulse was there; assuring me of her presence. I opened the car door for her and helped her into the car. She smiled up at me and my chest swelled with love for her. I leaned down into the car and kissed her softly. I pulled back slightly and smiled at her.

"I love you baby." I whispered.

"I love you." she replied softly.

I closed the door and rushed around to the driver side and slid in. I shot her a quick grin and started the car to head off to the next destination; the final destination.

"Where to next, honey?" Bella asked as she leaned her back onto the headrest and rolled to face me.

"Last surprise." I replied and smiled crookedly at her.

"Last? Is that it for the day then?" she asked.

"Yep. I thought we could just head home after that and…relax." I offered, trying not to give anything away.

"Hmm…What aren't you telling me, Edward? You've acting weird for days now." She demanded.

I fidgeted in my seat as I tried to formulate a reply that wouldn't get me trouble or give away the reason for my odd behaviour either.

"I don't know what you mean, baby. I just wanted to give you this one day of fun to get your mind off of things." I replied with as much confidence as I could muster.

"That's sweet of you Tiger and I love you for it. It has been a really nice day." Bella cooed.

I pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and put the car into park. I got out and opened her door for as well. She stepped out and looked around in surprise.

"Bella Italia?" she asked as she looked up at me with the most adorable confused expression.

"Bella Italia." I confirmed.

I released her hand and wrapped my arm around her waist, drawing her closer to me. I leaned down and lightly kissed her lips. She wrapped her arm around my neck and leaned up on her tiptoes to press her lips to mine more firmly. I returned the kiss, getting lost in the sensation of her lips and the taste of her. I felt my pants tighten and I pulled back, breathless. I didn't want to be hard for what I had planned inside. Afterward…well, that was a whole different scenario.

I unwrapped one arm, keeping the other around her waist and started to lead her to the front entrance. I opened the door and allowed her to step in before me. She paused just inside the threshold and looked around. I had had Laurent close the place down for the night and given everyone but him and one of my waiters the night off. To the left of us where the bar area was, I had asked Laurent line the bar with tea lights and white rose petals. Our booth, where we had had our first kiss, had long trailing lights hanging over it. The table had two church candles lit and set in a silver candle holder. Spread around the holder were more white rose petals and on either side of the holder were two stemmed vases holding a single long stemmed rose in each. The table was set for two.

I lead Bella over to the booth and slid in beside her. She gazed around with a look of awe before she finally met my eyes.

"Edward?" she whispered.

I smiled and slid back out of the booth. I walked over to the bar and picked up the control for the sound system. Jon Bon Jovi's '_All About Loving You_' floated through the surround sound speakers and I strolled back to my Kitten's side. I watched her as she listened to the lyrics and tears filled her beautiful brown eyes.

_Looking at the pages of my life  
>Faded memories of me and you<br>Mistakes you know I've made a few  
>I took some shots and fell from time to time<br>Baby, you were there to pull me through  
>We've been around the block a time or two<br>I'm gonna lay it on the line  
>Ask me how we've come this far<br>The answer's written in my eyes _

_Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new  
>That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more<br>I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time  
>When I look at what my life's been comin' to<br>I'm all about lovin' you _

_I've lived, I've loved, I've lost, I've paid some dues, baby  
>We've been to hell and back again<br>Through it all you're always my best friend  
>For all the words I didn't say and all the things I didn't do<br>Tonight I'm gonna find a way _

_Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new  
>That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more<br>I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time  
>When I look at what my life's been comin' to<br>I'm all about lovin' you _

_You can take this world away  
>You're everything I am<br>Just read the lines upon my face  
>I'm all about lovin' you <em>

_Every time I look at you, baby, I see something new  
>That takes me higher than before and makes me want you more<br>I don't wanna sleep tonight, dreamin's just a waste of time  
>When I look at what my life's been comin' to<br>I'm all about lovin' you _

_All about lovin' you_

The lyrics were very fitting. We had been to hell and back and we were still here and she was and always would be my best friend.

I signalled to Laurent and he walked out with Gareth trailing behind him with a large platter of mini pizzas, single servings of lasagne and garlic ciabatta bread. Bella and I stared at each other as Laurent and Gareth set down all of the dishes and quietly left us to it. We ate in silence but without looking away from one another. I watched her mouth as it wrapped sensually around her fork and I felt my pants stirring again as the air crackled around us with electricity. She really was too sexy for her own damn good.

We had barely finished eating when Laurent and Gareth returned to collect our empty dishes. They replaced the main with the dessert. I had ordered one of her favourite. Death By Chocolate cake. We devoured that, again in complete silence. The pulse around us did not let up and watching her eat the cake and licking her spoon clean did not help my situation down below. I had half a mind to just say 'Fuck it' and take her into the bathrooms and just…fuck her. But I held firm. I had a plan and I had a question I wanted to ask her.

Laurent had changed the CD and it now played her lullaby. The one that I had written for her years ago. Bella's eyes filled with tears again as she recognised the strains of the piano. I had recorded my playing her lullaby two days ago by using one of my college friend's recording studio. I had kept it a surprise from her just for tonight.

"Is that…" she started before trailing off.

I nodded, "Yeah, it's your lullaby, baby." I confirmed.

"Thank you. I love it." She whispered softly.

Now was the time. As I gazed at her ethereal beauty, I realised that there would be no better time than now. I slowly slid out of the booth and rounded the table to kneel beside her. She twisted her body so that she faced me. I took her left hand in my own and rubbed my thumb over her bare finger, something I had taken to doing in the last few days. She looked down at me and I saw love shining brightly in her eyes. Love, for me. I smiled and nervously ran a hand through me hair.

"Tiger? What is it, honey?" she asked, concerned.

I took a deep breath and began. I hadn't prepared a speech so I was winging it. Here goes nothing. The worst she can do is shoot me down, right?

"Bella, you are my best friend, my lover, my life. I almost lost you three weeks ago and I never want to feel that way again. I love you, Kitten. I will love you until the end of time. Will you marry me, baby? Be my wife? Be mine always?" I said in an emotional whisper.

Bella sat staring at me, her mouth hanging open and tears streaming down her face. She stared for so long that I began to wonder if I was wrong and it was too soon for this step. She snapped her mouth closed and before I could even think about backtracking she smiled widely. She lifted her right hand and cupped my cheek.

"Yes."

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><p><em><strong>AN – Aww…so he did it. He asked her and she said yes! Pfft, like there was any hope her saying no in the first place anyway!**_

_**Okay a couple of things:**_

_**Thank you too all of those who responded to my A/N of choices. The choice has been made and I know where I'm taking this. Keep reading to find out. Watch out for the little twist – who can guess what it will be?**_

_**There are only about four chapters left on this story, including the epi. I'm kinda sad about that. I first started writing this story back in May last year and this was my very first attempt at a fanfic (despite having finished Saving Grace first, which I started second!) so this story is very close to my heart and has given me many sleepless nights as I tried to steer it into the direction I originally envisioned for it!**_

_**As always, my friends, R&R! Thanks to all those that have reviewed so far and those who have added this story into their favourites! You guys rock!**_


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N – Chapter 28 people! Finally! This isn't what I originally wrote, but it's where the story took me when I started re-writing this, so I hope that it's ok. There are only a couple of more chapters to go on this so...Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Eight<br>EPOV**

I couldn't help but keep my eyes on the beauty lying next to me in bed as she slept with a peaceful expression. She had said yes. I proposed to the love of my life and she said yes. The early morning light played upon her angelic face and caught the glint of her ring, throwing a myriad of colours on the wall. Every colour in the rainbow was there – red, blue, green, yellow – all of them twirling and twisting as Bella shifted onto her back, causing the covers to slip down to her waist revealing her beautiful mounds as they nearly spilled out over the top of her tank. No, we didn't have sex last night to celebrate. We were, after all, still recovering from being shot. No matter how much I may have wanted to make love to my fiancé, my injured shoulder and her neck put a kibosh on things pretty quickly when we returned from dinner. So, we settled for making out like horny teenagers and snuggling under the blankets by the fireplace before we headed to bed to make out some more and then sleep. To say I was sexually frustrated would be an understatement. If it was only about my own injuries, I would have continued to undress my Kitten and make sweet, passionate love to her – or fuck senseless, same thing. But...there was no way in hell I would ever hurt her and a tumble in the sack could tear her stitches and that shit just wasn't acceptable in my books. My pain I could take - hers...Never.

"Mmmm...Edward..."

I glanced back over to Bella as I heard her moan my name only to see her still fast asleep. She looked beautiful as the wane sun filtered through the curtains onto her. I reached over and trailed my fingers across her cheekbones and she leaned her face into my hand. Even in her subconscious she knew where I was. I watched as her eyes fluttered open slowly and focus on me, a smile breaking out as soon as her brown orbs found my green ones.

"Good morning, my love." I whispered with a smile.

"Mmm...Good morning, honey. How long have you been awake?" she replied as she stretched with a feline kind of grace. My mouth dried out as I watched her back arch off the bed, pushing her perfect breasts tight against her tank top. I swallowed heavily before answering.

"A little while." I answered hoarsely.

She turned back to look at me and her eyes darkened in response to the tone of my voice, "Hmm...Why didn't you wake me?" she asked.

I shrugged, "You looked too peaceful. Besides, I thought you could-" I broke off as I heard a key in my front door. That could only mean one thing. Emmett.

"Looks like we'll be announcing our good news sooner than we hoped." Bella smirked.

"Seems that way." I smirked right back.

I leaned forward and brushed my lips across hers and she hummed her approval. My left hand settled on her hip automatically as I hovered over her, using my right elbow as leverage.

"Whoa! Okay, _so _not the scene I was expecting."

I rolled away from Bella just in time to see my brother retreating out of our bedroom door with his hand clapped over his eyes. Bella pulled the covers up over her head to hide her blush and I growled in annoyance.

"I'm just gonna grab a shower. Meet you in the kitchen in ten?" Bella said as she tossed the covers back and climbed out of bed. I flopped onto my back and sighed heavily.

"Sure baby. I'll shower after you. Do you want coffee?" I replied as I rubbed the heel of my hand over my eye, ignoring the slight twinge in my shoulder.

"Coffee would be wonderful, honey." She answered as she gathered a towel and her clothing before heading into the bathroom.

I sighed again and rolled out of bed. I slipped on a pair of sweats and made my way out to the living room where my brother was watching TV.

"A bit early for a visit, isn't it Em?" I asked by way of greeting.

Em turned slowly to look at me and grinned, "You know, the doctor hasn't cleared you two for extracurricular activities, right?" he said smugly.

I felt the electricity move at my back and smiled slyly. It was now or never.

"What? You can't blame me for trying to kiss my fiancé, can you?" I retorted.

"I didn't say-." Em stopped mid-sentence as my words sunk into his brain, "Wait. What? Did you just say Fiancé?" he asked, shocked.

I shrugged and reached out my hand behind me as I felt Bella move closer. She slid her warm hand into mine and I smiled wider, bringing her to the front of me and wrapping my arms around her tiny waist from behind and resting my head on her shoulder.

"I believe that is exactly what he said, Em." Bella replied for me as she rested her right arm over mine and brought her left hand up to cup my neck, her ring on proud display.

Em saw the glint of it and jumped to his feet, "No. Way! This is awesome! Congratulations guys!" he boomed as he strode over to Bella and me and hugged us both at the same time, keeping it gentle due to our injuries. As he pulled back, I could have sworn I saw tears in his eyes but he quickly turned around and headed back to the couch and sat down staring at the game on the TV.

"I'm happy for you guys. It's been a long time coming." He murmured without taking his gaze off of the flat screen.

We spent the morning goofing off and just plain enjoying being with each other, having called both our friends and family to inform them of our engagement. My mother had the same reaction Alice and Sue did – to scream so loud the even dogs covered their ears. My dad, of course was a lot calmer and heartily congratulated us. Charlie was the most subdued one of the lot and quietly wished us the best. I have no idea what he said to Bella, but she had tears shining in her eyes when she got off the phone with him. I questioned her with my eyes and she silently nodded to show she was ok. I left it at that. If she wanted to tell me she would, I knew that.

It was funny watching Emmett and Bella together. If I didn't know better, I would have said that they were blood siblings or at least related in some close way. They argued, fought and teased each other as if they were brother and sister and after the last few weeks and months, it was nice seeing Bella being so damn carefree. I only wished it had lasted a lot longer than past that day.

Monday morning brought about normality and that meant work and other real life issues. Bella had pretty much moved into my apartment in the last three weeks since we had been home from the hospital so we dressed and left for work together. She didn't have her car and was not yet cleared to drive yet and since neither was I, we shared a cab – dropping her off first. The police still had an alert out for the arrest of Jacob and Jared but had had no luck in actually locating them as yet. I worried about her safety every time she left my sight and I was finding it hard to concentrate on real life. Josh had assigned us both new security and this time he personally vetted and selected each one himself.

The day after Bella woke up; Josh had come to see us at the hospital. He had explained that Josh had been hired as a last minute replacement for Tim, one of his finest men who had resigned to move back home to North Carolina to be closer to his ailing mother. Tim had been the one to vet and hire Jared, but obviously had not thought it anything major when Jared's background checks came back with ties to the Black family. Why would he? After all, the whole Jacob deal kicked off after Tim left, but the whole deal taught Josh to be more in tune with his business and the hiring of his staff. He felt incredibly guilty for not having caught onto Jared sooner thus causing Bella and me harm, but Bella of course, being the kind heart she is, waved off his apology and told him under no uncertain terms that he could not take on the blame for one madman's crazy mind and his stupid cousin.

I loved her all the more for it.

In addition to the new security team tailing both Bella and me, Josh had also equipped us with GPS trackers. Mine was in the form of a silver waterproof and fireproof watch and Bella's was a matching watch bracelet that looked beautiful on her delicate wrist. Added to that were tracker chips installed in our cell phones - ones that allowed us to send a distress call with the touch of the # key. Pressing the key would notify not only Josh and his team but NYPD too that we were in need of assistance and from there they could track the movements of the chip. The watches were in fact a back up to the cell's. Josh didn't want to take any chances that the chip could be discovered and/or destroyed. Our watches also had a 'Panic' button in the place of the stopwatch button. One touch and it would do the same thing as the # key on the cells.

It wasn't enough to give total peace of mind, but it was enough that we breathed a tiny bit easier.

I swung open the door to my office building and grimaced at the sight of Lauren sitting at the reception. I strode in and simply nodded my head at her in greeting, not pausing to call out a 'Good Morning'. I made it into my office and started booting up my desktop and pulling out various blueprints and files that I needed to work on today. I needed to keep busy so as not to give into the panic threatening to overwhelm me at being away from Bella. Something just felt off about today and I couldn't put my finger on what it was. I silently sent a prayer up to Heaven that my Kitten would be ok and set to work.

It wasn't until around 3pm that I realised that Bella had not called me or texted me today. As soon as that thought hit me a wave of unease washed through me and I hurriedly picked up my desk line to dial hers. It rang for several moments before it was answered.

"Isabella Swan's office, Tami speaking. How may I help?"

Dread now pooled in my gut. Bella always answered my call as my number came up on the caller ID.

"Tami, this is Edward Cullen. Is Bella in?"

"Sorry Mr Cullen, but she hasn't yet returned from her lunch meeting."

I sucked in a large breath.

"Tami, when did she leave for the meeting?"

My voice was urgent and came out sounding like a growl.

"Uh...Um...I believe it was around 12.30pm. No! 12.15pm. I was still here then. I didn't go for my lunch until 12.30pm and I came back around 1.15pm and she still wasn't back then. I haven't seen her since before she left. I assumed she was having lunch with a client. I can check her schedule and-"

I cut off her rambling.

"Do it."

"Oh...Oh! Yes...Um...let's see..."

There was silence on the other end as all I heard for a few seconds was the tapping of keys and then Tami gasped.

"What? What is it?"

"Mr Cullen, it appears that Izzy had a lunch appointment with a Mrs Dwyer. I could have sworn that, that was Izzy's-"

Again I cut her off.

"Mother."

The unease increased and the dread spread from my gut right up to my chest and throat. I only knew of one Mrs Dwyer that could possibly be meeting my Bella. Renee.

"Tami, call Charlie Swan and tell him about this and do me a favour, keep it to yourself after that."

"Yes Mr Cullen."

"Thank you. I'll be in touch."

I hung up the phone and immediately pulled out my cell.

"Readon."

"J, it's Edward. I need your help, man."

I was trying to remain calm, but the dread was starting to choke me up.

"Hey, E. Sure man, what's up? Is my new team doing ok?"

"Team's fine. It's Bella."

"Not again. Shit."

"Mmhm..."

I went on to tell him about not hearing from her today and my conversation with Tami and my concerns. Josh listened to everything quietly but I could hear the tapping of key in the background. He was silent for a few moments longer once I was finished and then he sighed.

"Her tracker says that she's at Cannelloni's on 34th and West. No distress signal. I'll give her guards a call and see what's going on. Hang tight for a few, yeah?"

I exhaled loudly.

"Yeah. Thanks man."

"No probs."

Josh hung up and I slumped back in my chair. Would this drama never end? All I wanted was to spend the rest of my life with the one person who made it worthwhile living and right now that just seemed like a pipe dream. What had I ever done to anger the Gods? Was this my punishment for my darkest days eight years ago? Or had I done something in a previous life that warranted this?

My mind raced as I tried to come up with the different scenarios and possibilities as to why Bella would agree to meet with Renee and still came up blank. From the way she had acted the day I brought her home from the hospital and Renee showed up at my apartment, I would have thought that she wanted nothing more to do with her, so why the change of heart now?

Above all else, my veins pulsed with fear for my Bella's safety. I couldn't go through almost losing her again. Not for a third time. Not ever. I could only hope that Josh came back with some good news.

I was so lost in my thoughts that the ringing of my phone startled me. I quickly snatched the receiver up, trying to regulate my breathing through the fear and trepidition.

"Edward Cullen."

"E, It's Josh. We got a problem, bro."

_Shit. Here we go again._

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Uh oh...Cliffy. How much do you guys hate me right now? Any thoughts on what's going on?**

**As always R&R!**


	29. AUTHOR'S NOTE MAY 2012

**Author's Note:**

HI ALL!

JUST A QUICK NOTE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I HAVEN'T DIED AND I AM **NOT** GIVING UP ON MY STORIES COMPLETELY. I HAVE SIMPLY PUT THEM ON HIATUS SO THAT I CAN CONCENTRATE ON COMPLETING THEM ALL ONE BY ONE.

I HAVE THE WORST CASE OF WRITER'S BLOCK AND IT HAS STUCK WITH ME FOR MONTHS NOW SO I THOUGHT WORKING ON EACH STORY ONE BY ONE WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO COMBAT IT!

SINCE _**THE ENIGMA OF YOU**_ IS MY MOST RECENT STORY SO IS FRESHER IN MY MIND, I WILL BE WORKING ON THAT FIRST. I WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW WHAT IS NEXT AT THE END OF THAT ONE.

PLEASE STAY WITH ME. YOUR SUPPORT WILL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AS I TRY AND WROK THROUGH THIS.

THANKS

NEHNAH

X


	30. Chapter 29

**A/N - Hey, Hey! Yes, you read right. IABH is back and off of Hiatus. I started this story and I intend to finish it. It may not finish as I originally intended it to, but I _WILL_ finish it!**

**Without further ado, I present to you Chapter 29. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Nine<strong>

**BPOV**

I stared at the woman sat before me in disbelief as I tried to tune out her rambling words to allow my mind to catch up with the turn of events. I had, against my better judgement, agreed to meet my mother for lunch as she claimed that she had 'something' to discuss with me. I – being the naive idiot that I am – thought she would be apologising for her behaviour at Edward's apartment the day I was released from hospital, but instead I was now sitting here; completely having lost my appetite, trying to understand the words that were being spewed from her mouth.

I had already been here for an hour and a half and in that time Renee had brought up the details she had planned for a bridal shower I didn't know I was having in two days time, the guest list for a wedding that I had plainly stated was off the table and a dress fitting for a wedding outfit I would never wear. Madness. This was pure madness and it made me wonder if Renee had finally gone off the deep end. I tuned back in just in time to hear her informing me about my honeymoon.

"...Of course Jacob will be seeing to those details, but I have steered him in the right direction in terms of your honeymoon. I thought a fortnight in the Maldives would be a nice break after all the stress and running around for the wedding, don't you agree? I would suggest going shopping for some new outfits, but we can do that when we go to the Bridal Boutique for you fitting appointments next week..."

I tuned her out again as I tried to fumble around in my brain for an excuse to get away. I was starting to get frightened and worried about her state of mind. I searched frantically around the restaurant for an easy exit until my eyes came to rest on the black SUV parked right out front. I breathed a sigh of relief as I realised that my security detail were still here and keeping an eye out. Glancing down into my lap, my eyes fell on my new 'chipped' bracelet. I knew that if worst came to worst, I could press my panic button and my team would have me out of here in a nanosecond. That thought gave me a measure of comfort and the confidence I needed to speak up finally.

"Renee, stop." I said softly.

"...I've got around a hundred and fifty - What?" she snapped as I interrupted her tirade.

"I said 'stop'. There is no wedding. I was not kidding when I said I called it off." I said in a stronger voice.

"What do you mean 'no wedding'? Of course there is a wedding. I'm planning it aren't I?" she replied in a confused tone.

"Well, I don't know who's wedding you're planning, but it isn't mine. I broke things off with Jacob months ago. You know that. I told you that many a times, including just a few short days ago when you came to find me at Edward's apartment." I pointed out calmly.

"But-but...all the plans, the bookings...Everything is ready!" she spluttered.

"Renee, I have told you time and time again; I. Am. Not. Marrying. Jacob! I don't know what else to say or do to make you understand that! I love Edward. I am _with_ Edward!" I exclaimed, finally having lost my patience with her.

"Edward? That good for nothing lout you were mooning over in high school? Please, Bella. Give me a break. Don't you think it is time to let go of your childish fantasies and grow up? You are well aware of our standing in the community and Edward does not fit into that world. You know it and I know it. I think it is time you stopped this sullen teenager routine and just faced facts. Edward is nothing. Grow up and face the music, love." She spat back at me, waving her hand dismissively.

I leaned back in my chair and stared at her in disbelief. This woman was not my mother. I didn't know who she was, but she was not my mother. My mother from my childhood was a bit flaky but still loving in a completely hare-brained kind of way. My mother was the woman who booked my a first class ticket to New York without asking many questions back in high school when I tucked tail and ran from LA. My mother was the woman who held me as I cried my eyes out in bed at night because of the nightmares of Edward and Tanya. My mother was the woman who stroked my hair lovingly and told me everything would be ok when I was catatonic after seeing Edward in that dark corner of the club when I went to Cali for my father's wedding.

The woman sitting in front of me now with her expensive clothing, perfectly styled hair and freshly manicured nails was not my mother. Not by a long shot.

With that realisation, I rose from my seat and stared down at the woman who resembled my mother but was, in fact, a complete stranger to me. I watched as she gazed back up at me, consternation clear on her face. I took a deep breath.

"Renee, until you can understand the fact that I am never going to marry Jacob Black and that I love Edward with all of my heart, you will stay away from me, from us. After all that Jacob has done to me, how can you even ask me to be with him, to be love him? You are delusional if you believe that. Stay away from me Renee. Keep Jacob away from me. I mean it." I spat down at her before I spun and stormed towards the exit.

I didn't make it the whole way before a hard wall stopped me in my tracks. I felt large hands that I instinctively knew were not Edward's grab me by the top of my arms and draw me closer. I trailed my eyes upwards to come face to face with my nightmare. Glaring menacingly down at me was Jacob. I stepped backwards but was stopped from moving any further by the tightening of his hands on my arms.

"Izzy, so nice to see you again." He hissed with a twisted grin.

"Let go of me, Jacob." I said as I struggled against his hold.

"I will. I just wanted to say one thing." He replied. I stopped squirming and stared up at the man who was once my best friend. I found nothing of that man in his face now.

"Keep up your stubbornness and I will end him. I have too much riding on our marriage to let you go now. He will die. Mark my words, Izzy." He whispered as his face leaned closer to mine.

I felt fear grip my insides at his words. I knew who he was talking about and nothing - I mean _nothing_ - meant more to me that his life. I would do whatever it took to ensure his safety. I also felt intense anger. Anger at Jacob and Renee for putting me in this position.

Jacob released my arms and stepped back, "Remember what I said. There is nothing you can do to stop me now. His life is forfeit." He smirked darkly at me once before spinning on his feet and walking away from me. I stood watching him walk away, trying to determine what my next move should be. From a legal standing, there was nothing I could do

"I would listen to him, if I were you Isabella." I heard Renee speak from behind me. I turned to see her smirking at me in an entirely satisfied way.

"It's a good thing I'm not you then isn't it, Renee? " I replied with my eyebrow cocked.

Renee shook her head at me, "I'll never understand what she was thinking. You have no idea of the hoops I've had to jump through for the last twelve years. I've come too far for you to ruin my plans now." I tilted my head in confusion.

_What the hell did that mean?_

"What plans? Who are you talking about?" I asked in confusion.

"Your Grandmother, of course. The old witch just had to make thing hard for me – even in her death. Stupid old bat." Renee scoffed.

"Nana? What does she have to do with any of this?" I questioned.

"Everything!" Renee shot back.

I took another step back from Renee as she was beginning to look even more deranged.

"Renee, I-." I started to say something but found myself at a loss for words. What could I say to her? Renee's behaviour – although strange at the best of times – was bordering on insanity and that scared me.

"Renee, I need to get back to the office. I have meetings." I tried to move around her but she stopped me.

"Listen to Jacob." She hissed before releasing me and storming off in the direction that Jacob had.

**EPOV**

"_Edward Cullen."_

"_E, It's Josh. We got a problem, bro."_

Shit.

* * *

><p>"Problem? What problem?" I near enough yelled down the phone as I sprang to my feet.<p>

"Jacob was seen leaving the restaurant." Josh replied. My heart clenched in my chest making it difficult to breath. I sank back onto my chair.

"No." I whispered.

"Bella is still in the restaurant though, but Jacob looked deranged according to Andy and Rick." Josh continued.

"Have they got a visual on my Bella?" I asked.

"No, but they're giving it another few minutes before they head inside. It's entirely possible that Bella is absolutely fine and we're overreacting." Josh tried to reassure me.

At that moment my work line rang, "J, hold on a sec." I said into my cell before picking up my landline.

"Edward Cullen."

"Edward?" A voice whispered back. A voice I would know anywhere.

"Bella? Is that you baby?"

Yeah, my voice trembled a little making me sound like a woman. I didn't care at that point.

"Yeah, honey. It's me."

"Are you ok? Where are you? Why haven't you called?"

"Calm, honey. I'm ok. A little freaked out, but otherwise fine."

"What happened, baby?"

Bella went on to tell me all about her lunch with her mother and the confrontation with Jacob. When she told me what he had said, I could hear the fear in her voice and I didn't like it. There was a long silence when she was finished as I tried to absorb everything. I breathed deeply before I spoke.

"Baby, can you come down to my office if your afternoon isn't too busy?"

"I have a meeting in the office in fifteen minutes, but that should only take about an hour. I can come down after?"

"I'll be waiting, Kitten. I'm-." I was cut off by the banging of my office door. I looked up to see a fuming Jacob Black staring down at me.

"She. Is. Mine." He punctuated each word with a squeeze of my door handle.

"Edward? Edward. Is that...is that...Jacob?" the last word was a mere whisper, but I heard it loud and clear.

"She is MINE!" Jacob repeated with a roar.

The phone fell from my grasp as I shot out of my seat while Jacob marched towards me. I could hear Bella's panicked voice calling my name and Josh's voice doing the same on my cell. I had forgotten he was still waiting for me too. I met Jacob at the side of my desk but was unprepared for the right hook he laid on me straight away. My head snapped to the side and I flexed my jaw to ensure that nothing was broken. It wasn't. I spun back to face him just in time to duck his second shot and managed one myself right in solar plexus. He huffed out a breath and hunched over.

I stepped back just as he recovered and came back at me. I edged away from him around my desk.

"What's the matter, Cullen? Scared?" he sneered.

"Of you? Huh!" I scoffed back.

"I warned her. I warned her that she shouldn't ruin my plans. All my hardwork." He growled.

"Only a lowlife would threaten a lady." I taunted.

"She ain't no lady! She's a whore who sold her-." I didn't allow him to finish his sentenced. I lunged at him and headbutted him. He fell to the floor but brought me down with him by swiping at my legs. As quick as I could I pinned him to the floor and started raining blows down on him. I didn't relent even as he managed to catch me on my left rib; breathing through the pain, I landed both my fists into his ribs and heard a satisfying crunch.

My door flew open for a second time in the day and I was vaguely aware of a strong pair of arms trying to haul me off of the scum on my floor. I struggled against the hold, kicking my feet out, catching Jacob on his right side making him curl into a ball. I felt a punch to my side and gasped for air. I was spun around and came face to face with my second assailant. Jared.

"Hello again, Mr Cullen. Surprised?" he sneered.

"Not really." I gasped back.

I jerked my arm free from his hold and shoved him backwards with all my might. He stumbled into my desk and cried out as the edge struck him right in the family jewels. I heard Jacob scramble to his feet behind me and I spun around to face him.

"You're dead." He snarled as he pulled a 9mm from his back.

I stepped back and raised my arms in a surrender gesture, "Don't be stupid, Jacob. You shoot me and you'll go to jail. Is your life worth that?" I asked, trying to stall as I had stealthily pressed my panic button on my watch; knowing that it would alert the police as well as Josh that I was in immediate danger.

"I won't go to jail. I have a plan all worked out. With the money I'll get for marrying Bella, I'll be living it large on my own private island as you rot in hell." He answered smugly.

_Idiot._

"What money?" I questioned curiously.

"The money Renee promised me." He replied.

"Renee? What does she have to do with all of this? I thought you wanted Bella?" Yes, I was stalling big time.

Jacob huffed, "I don't want Bella. I want Bella's money." Well, that made it all the more clearer, "Bella's Grandmother died twelve years ago and she left her entire wealth to Bella – not that she knows about it – her only stipulation in the will was that Bella had to be married and settled before she could claim the first portion of it. Ten million dollars." My head spun with this new information. Ten million dollars. Bella was a heiress. I knew her Grandmother Swan was from Old Money and that her family owned several properties in Europe. Her family's histopry dated back to the 1800's when there were Count's, Countesses, Barons and Baronesses. Bella, I knew came from a prestigious line, but it mattered none to me.

Jacob continued, unsuspecting of my inner thoughts, "Renee promised me that money if I married her daughter. A year after marriage Bella would be able to collect another ten million and I was to talk Bella into giving that to Renee, along with the mansion in Palm Springs and the chateau in France. But you just had ruin things, didn't you?" he spat.

I tried to wrap my head around what he was saying so was too busy to realise that Jared had recovered and was now standing behind me with a gun pressed against my skull. I heard the click of the safety being taken off and tensed.

"A year, that's all you had to give me and you could have had her back but noooo! You just had to ruin it. So now I have no choice but to do this the hard way." Jacob carried on in an affronted tone.

I heard my phone beep from my desk and looked towards it. I saw Josh's name flash across the screen and realised that he must have hung up and was now calling back. I also knew that if I didn't answer he would take it as confirmation that my life was in danger. I just hoped that either he or the police turned up before Jacob shot me. I didn't fancy being shot a second time. At least this time Bella was far away.

Just then the door flew open again and I felt the familiar electricity course through me. I closed my eyes in defeat and fear. I spoke to soon.

"Jacob, put down the gun. You want money? Fine. Take it. Take it all. I don't want it. Just please...please let Edward go." Her voice started out strong but trailed off into a whisper towards the end.

"No! He's ruined everything! He needs to pay!" Jacob yelled back at her.

I opened my eyes as I felt the electricity move further towards me and saw the red rimmed brown eyes of my beautiful girl. I felt Jared press the gun harder into the base of my skull and watched as her eyes flew towards the slight movement, widening slightly. Her eyes swung back to me.

_Are you ok?_ Her eyes asked silently.

I nodded back. _Are you?_ My eyes asked.

_I'm scared._

_I know baby. I love you._

Our silent conversation was interrupted by the cocking of Jacob's gun and I turned my gaze back to him just as I felt Bella's hand slip into mine, squeezing it.

"Any last words for Izzy, Cullen?" Jacob asked in a smug tone.

"Do what you will with me, but let her go, Jacob. She doesn't need to be here." I answered in an even tone.

"What? No, Edward!" Bella said from beside me, despair in her voice.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply before opening them again, accepting my fate. I looked down at her and read the fear in her beautiful brown eyes, "I love you, baby. I'll always love you." I whispered to her as my free hand came up to trace her features reverently. A sob caught in her throat as she raised our joined hands to kiss my knuckles. As long as I could save her, that's all that mattered to me. I would happily die here today knowing that she loved me just as much as I loved her.

"Well, isn't this sweet?" Jacob said in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Isn't it sweet, Jar?"

"Sure is, Jake." Jared replied from behind me in an mockingly amused tone.

"Edward." Bella whispered from next to me. I looked down at her and she flickered her eyes towards the window. I followed her gaze and caught a slight glint of something in the building next door but it was gone before I could identify what it was. I looked back down at Bella and saw a small smile playing on her lips before she turned from me towards Jacob.

"Stop this now, Jacob. I'll marry you if let Edward go. On one condition?" Bella said in a strong voice. I stared at her wondering what she was up to.

"You're in no position to be laying out conditions, Izzy." Jacob replied roughly.

"Just this one. Please?" she returned with a bat of her eyelashes. What _was_ she up to?

"What?" Jacob snapped.

"Turn around and say hi to Josh first." Bella almost yelled before she yanked on my arm and dove for the floor. I heard several shots go off in quick succession and panicked as I recalled a similar scene not even a month ago.

"Bella! Baby, answer me! Are you ok?" I asked frantically as I tried to rise up off of her to check for any injuries.

"I'm fine honey. I'm ok. Are you?" she replied as she gazed up at me hovering over her.

"I'm fine, baby. What happened?" I answered.

I lifted up a little more and caught sight of the chaos that had erupted in my office. There were uniformed policemen everywhere. Jared was sitting with his back against the wall next to the door, one hand putting pressure on the gunshot wound on his arm; a policeman was crouched in front of him with a pair of handcuffs, reading him his rights. To my left, I spotted Jacob lying on his back with a large puddle of blood pooling under his leg, Josh was hovering over him obviously saying something into his ear. I kept Bella's face pressed into my chest so as not to reveal the scene to her.

"Mr Cullen, Ms Swan are you hurt?" I looked up to see Mack standing over us with a look of concern.

I shook my head, "No Officer, we're ok. Just shocked." I replied with a rueful smile.

Mack nodded, "You'll have to come down to the station to make a statement, but you're free to go right now." He said kindly.

"Thank you Officer. We'll come down tomorrow if that's ok. Right now, I just want to get my fiancé home. She's still healing from her previous injuries." I answered.

"Would you like me to call an ambulance to take her to the hospital?" he asked.

"No!" Bella's muffled shout startled us both, "No, I'm not hurt. My stitches have all but dissolved and I'm in no pain. Please, I just want to go home if that's ok?" Bella said as she raised her face from my shirt.

"That's fine Ms Swan. And congratulations on your engagement." Mack returned before straitening up to his full height. I followed suit and lifted both myself and Bella off of the floor.

"What about those two?" I questioned as I nodded my head at the two jackasses.

"They'll be taken into hospital under guard and treated for their injuries before they're transferred to jail to await arraignment." Mack answered.

I nodded in understanding, "Thanks again. We'll see you downtown tomorrow." I confirmed. Mack nodded and turned to stalk towards Jacob who was now being loaded onto a stretcher.

I looked down at Bella and smiled at her. My fingers trailed across her cheeks and wiped the tear tracks from them.

"Lets go home, baby."

* * *

><p><strong>AN – Well? Fitting or not? Any ideas on how Renee will be dealt with?**

**As always, R&R!**


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N – Another one for you! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty<br>EPOV**

The following day Bella and I both arrived at the police station and were immediately separated to give our statements. It was a long a gruelling three hours before I was reunited with her again. I could see the exhaustion clearly on her face. Her bloodshot eyes told a tale of a thousand tears making my heart clench in my chest painfully. I never could see her cry. Or in pain. Or upset. Anything other than happy really.

My statement had been pretty much straight forward as the department already had my previous one from the first shooting. I was informed that Jacob and Jared were due to be taken to the courthouse the next morning for their bail hearing. The one thing the police seemed most interested in was hearing about how Renee was involved in all of this mess. Because Jacob had pretty much confessed it all to me and subsequently Josh through my open cell line; they were now arranging to have Renee brought in for questioning. The order had been issued for a search of her property and Mack has dispatched two of his finest to bring her in. I knew that I needed to get Bella out of here before Renee was brought in so I tried to usher out to the foyer. But alas, when has my luck ever been that good?

Just as Bella and I made it past the reception desk the doors opened and in trudged the two officers that were sent to bring Renee in and no one but the devil herself. She looked sullen as she quietly trailed behind the first officer as the second brought up the rear. As soon as she raised her eyes and spotted us her eyes widened almost comically and she did an extremely good imitation of a gaping fish. I felt Bella stiffen beside me and brought her body in closer to mine. As always, my touch relaxed her immediately and she leaned into my side.

"YOU!" Renee bellowed out as she pointed in our direction causing all those in our vicinity to freeze and look towards us. Renee broke away from the two officers before they could make a grab of her and strode towards us, coming to a stop in front of my fiancé.

"This is all your fault! Why do you have to be so damn stubborn? Just like your father, you are. Good for nothing, stubborn ass that he is. How could you do this to me? I raised you, fed you, clothed you and held you as you cried a river for this lousy twit standing beside you and this is how you thank me?" Renee snarled directly in Bella's face. I felt Bella tremble and tightened my arm even more.

"Renee, yo-." Renee cut me off before I could go any further.

"And you! How dare you interfere in business that has nothing to do with you! She is my daughter and if I choose to sell her to the highest bidder that is MY decision. Not yours!" Renee shouted at me. I felt Bella recoil slightly before she straightened up and stepped right up to stand chest to chest with Renee.

"You. Have. No. Rights. Over. Me! I am a person, not a possession! I've told you time and time again, my life is mine to live as I want it. You have no say in it whatsoever! Edward has more right than you do. How could _you_ do this to _me_? And all for money?" Bella yelled back.

"That money should have been mine! She was _my_ mother in law!" Renee screamed.

"And she was _my_ grandmother!" Bella replied in a calmer tone, "Had you just simply asked, I would have given you anything you wanted. Money, property, the entire lot. I would never had put more worth on that than our relationship." Bella finished quietly. I pulled impossibly closer - feeling her sadness as if it were my own.

"No you wouldn't. No-one would give up seventy million dollars without expecting anything in return. Just look at Jacob! I had to offer him ten million just to get him to agree to be with you!" Renee sneered hatefully. I heard Bella suck in a sharp breath and I looked down at her to see tears shining in her eyes. My anger rose at the sight of them and I was barely hanging on to my sanity by a thread. The only reason I didn't speak up is because I knew that Bella needed to do this for herself. I would be there to gather her scattered pieces afterwards, always.

" Then that's where I differ from Jacob and even you. I put relationships above wealth. Goodbye Renee." Bella answered in an even, steady tone before turning to look up at me, "Take me home, honey." She asked softly.

I nodded down at her before I leaned down and kissed her gently, lovingly. Pouring all of my love and support in that brief chaste kiss. I heard Renee scoff but ignored her as I pulled back and looked at my beautiful girl with pride. She had stood up to her demons and done it with grace and poise. Not once did she stoop to their level and for that I felt my heart flood with overwhelming pride and love for my future wife. I tenderly stroked her cheek, wiping away the errant tear that had fallen from her eye.

"Your wish..." I murmured. I turned back to look at Renee, who was staring at us in consternation, "I pity you, Renee. Bella is an amazing woman and I am the luckiest person on earth who will get to share her life. You, on the other hand, will not." I paused to take a deep breath, keeping a tight lid on my rage, "Do not come near her again, or so help me God, I will not be held accountable for my actions. I will not allow you to hurt her more than you already have. She is mine to protect and cherish and I intend to do so for the rest of my life." I growled warningly. I watched as Renee's eyes widened in fear and she took a step back from us, allowing us passage around her.

* * *

><p>The next few weeks were calm and settled compared to the months that came before them and no doubt the weeks that will follow once the trial starts. We later found out that Renee had confessed to conspiring with Jacob to blackmail and coerce Bella into marriage. She also confirmed Jacob's statement that she had been behind the entire plot to kidnap Bella and force her to marry Jacob in order to access the money locked in trust for Bella. Jacob was charged with kidnapping, conspiracy to steal, attempted murder on two counts, violation of the restraining order and being in possession of an illegal firearm. Renee was charged with conspiracy to blackmail, kidnap and endangerment. She was looking at atleast seven years behind bars. Jared was charged with conspiracy to kidnapping, attempted murder on two counts, violation of the restraining order and possession of an illegal firearm. Jacob and Jared were looking at a longer sentence due to the attempted murder charge and both had pled guilty, hoping the DA would cut them a deal. So far, no luck.<p>

Renee – of course – pled not guilty and claimed to have temporarily lost her senses. Yeah, we all laughed when we heard that. Including the DA.

Bail for Jacob and Jared had been set at $75,000 with the restriction of staying within the city limits. They had both also stay at least 200 feet away from both Bella and me. Renee's bail was set at $50,000 again with the city limits restriction and a 200 feet restraining order. Billy, Jacob's father refused to pay his bail so he was still in jail. Jared's family similarly refused to pay bail and was keeping Jacob company in a 6'x6'. Phil, however, paid Renee's bail so she was sequestered at their eight bedroomed mansion on the outskirts of Manhattan. Phil was not happy with Renee and had informed her that he would be contacting his lawyer to start divorce proceedings. Renee blamed Bella for her latest misfortune. Of course.

She had managed to swipe Phil's cell long enough to call Bella and scream at her for 'ruining her life again' before Phil found her and wrestled the phone away from her.

The trail was set to start on December 12th and the day was growing closer along with Bella's nervousness. I tried futilely to elevate her nerves and calm her but to no avail. Not that she didn't appreciate my efforts. We had gotten the all clear from the doctor to resume regular 'activities' a while back and taken full advantage of our release from restriction; sometimes several times a night.

I had just arrived back from my last site survey and was in my office when a knock sounded on my door. I looked up to see a medium height, slender woman with fiery red hair standing- no, draping herself – against my door frame. She might be considered pretty to most people, but she did nothing for me.

"Yes? Can I help you?" I asked curiously, feeling uncomfortable under her obvious perusal of me.

"Mmmm... I hope so." She purred in what – she thought – was a seductive tone. It still did nothing to me or for me.

"Excuse me? Have we met before?" I enquired, still confused.

I watched as the woman strolled confidently into my office and came to lean proactively over my desk, giving me full view down her blouse – if you could call it that. She was wearing what looked like a satin camisole with lacing at the top of her ample breasts, which was similar to what Bella normally wore to bed at night and a short black skirt that looked like a cheerleaders skirt.

"I bet that's a line you use on all your new female clients. My name is Victoria Strum. You came highly..." she paused to trail her icy blue eyes up and down my torso again, "recommended. I have need of your services." She continued with a devilish smile.

I stood from my chair and watched as her eyes widened in appreciation and lust at the sight of the rest of my body. However flattered I may be, I was still uncomfortable with her attentions, "Please to meet you Ms Strum. How can we be of service?" I asked politely as I extended my hand to shake hers. She did not shake but did grab my hand and stroke her thumb over my knuckles suggestively. I pulled it back hastily and pointed her to one of the guest chairs in front of my desk. She folded herself into the chair on the left and crossed her legs, giving me a show. I shook my head to clear the disgust I felt and sat back in my chair and smiled politely.

"I have just purchased a penthouse on Central Park South and it is in awful need of updating. I was told you would be able to help me with my _problem_?" she said as she started to play with a strand of hair. The double meaning behind the word 'problem' was not lost on me, but I chose to ignore it.

"I do not deal with residential properties; that would be my partner, Mr Hale. Give me a moment whilst I check his schedule." I said as I pulled up Jas's calendar on my desktop.

"No! It has to be you. I know you don't normally deal with residential, but can't you just do this. For me? Just this once?" she asked as she slowly rose from her seat and prowled closer to me. I stood and backed away, trying to put more distance between us. I saw her flicker her gaze to my door, which was still standing open and then back to me.

"I'll make it worth your while, Mr Cullen." She whispered.

I backed away even more and held up a hand to ward off a touch from her already raised hand, "Ah...Ms Strum, I apologise but I will not be able to help you. No amount will change my mind. I simply do not take on those projects." I stammered as I continued to back further into the wall behind me.

"How about a favour instead?" she countered.

"A business does not run on favours, Ms Strum. Again, I will have to refuse I'm afraid." I replied more confidently as my ire started to rise.

"But pleasure does." She retorted in a playful tone.

I straightened up to my full height and glared down at the red haired tempest, "Ms Strum, I can't be sure, but it sounded like you were attempting to seduce me into doing your bidding and correct me if I am wrong, but as I have informed you repeatedly that I cannot help you I can only assume that you are either deaf or simply choosing to ignore my rebuffs. Are really that desperate to refurbish your new apartment?" I fumed quietly.

She blinked up at me in surprise for a moment before grinning lavishly at me, "Playing hard to get, hm? Oh, I do like a challenge!" she cheered as she clapped her hands in glee.

"Is he not speaking English? Because I think I clearly heard him say no. Twice." I spun as I heard the most beautiful sound come from my doorway. There standing in a black two piece trouser suit was my gorgeous fiancé with a scowl on her face – which thankfully was aimed fully at the redhead and not me.

"And it is any of your business because...?" redhead asked mulishly.

"Oh believe me, sweetie, it's more my business than it ever will be yours." Bella snapped back.

I stepped around my blockage and quickly crossed the room to stand behind Bella, using her as a shield as I wrapped my arms around her from behind, sighing in relief at my escape. Redhead scowled at our position and shot daggers at Bella.

"Look, honey. No offense but he is way out of your league. Let the adults chat whilst you and your off the rack business suit go and fetch us some coffee, Mkay?" redhead replied in saccharine tone.

Bella stiffened in my arms and my own body reacted similarly. My ire from before flared into full blown anger, "Now wait just a minute. This is _my_ office and if she was my employee then only _I_ would have the right to send her for coffee. But since she is not my employee I will be doing no such thing. You need to leave Ms Strum. I don't believe we offer the services you require here at Cullen and Hale." I barked at the knock off Barbie in front of us.

"Dipping your pen in the company ink never works out for the best, you know? I'm sure I would be better at everything than she would be." Redhead scoffed.

"Listen, you knockoff Barbie! Get out and be sure to allow the door to hit you as you leave too!" Bella shouted, finally having lost her patience, I gently rubbed my thumb over her hipbone to soothe her and rocked slightly from side to side.

"Shh baby, she's not worth it. Calm yourself Kitten. No need for the claws." I murmured into her ear before I kissed her sweet spot lovingly. She immediately melted into my arms and brought own hands to rest over mine.

"Seriously? You'll take that over me? I mean, what is she?" redhead asked in disbelief. I looked up at her and glared.

"I'll thank you to speak of my fiancé with respect, Ms Strum. In answer to your question, I would take over a thousand you's. She is everything." I growled menacingly.

Redhead scoffed once more before storming past us and out of my office, slamming the door behind her. Thankful for small favours I breathed another sigh of relief and gently turned Bella in my arms to look at her. Her breathing was heavy and her face was flushed. I worried for a moment that her feelings were hurt until she titled her face to look up at me and I read desire and want in her depthless brown eyes. The look sent a shot of lust through me.

"Baby?" I whispered in askance.

"I need you." She answered breathily. I sucked in a sharp breath and groaned at the sound of want in her voice which awakened my own need for her swiftly.

"I love you." I murmured before I crashed my lips to hers, sucking on them forcefully. I slowly backed her towards my desk without breaking my kiss, my hands clutching her perfectly round ass. My tongue traced her lips before I pushed it into her slightly parted mouth and moaned at the taste of her. Her answering moan hardened me further and I pushed my hips into her urgently. I broke away from the kiss to breath but couldn't bring myself to remove my lips from her fully. I trailed hot, wet kisses down her throat and sucked at her flesh. She moaned and pressed herself closer to me. I felt the edge of the table against my hands and removed them to allow her purchase.

Before I knew what was happening, Bella had unbuttoned my shirt and my own fingers had nimbly opened hers in return. I pulled away from her and looked down. I had left the apartment before her this morning, so I had not had the pleasure of seeing her dress this morning. I groaned at the sight of her sheer midnight blue bra with rose detail over her nipples. The underside of the cups were a smooth satin whilst the majority of the bra was a see through net - like material.

"God baby, you are so beautiful. New set?" I asked huskily.

"Yes. Like it?" she whispered in a gravelly voice.

"Love it." I moaned just as she trailed her hand down to cup my throbbing erection.

"Wait until you see the panties." She continued whilst rubbing my length in a torturously slow pace.

I growled in blatant desire and pulled her hand away from me and flicked open the buttons on her trousers with the other hand and shoved my hand down to her pussy. I hissed in overwhelming lust as all I felt was the smooth skin of the place where I wanted to be the most. My siren of a fiancé giggled breathlessly.

"Oops, did I forget to mention that I left those on your side of the bed at home?" she teased. I growled. Again.

"Yes, my love, you did. So you were planning on this, were you?" I snarled playfully as my finger traced her lower lips and my lips ghosted over hers. She titled her head back and whimpered at my ministrations.

"Yesssss...Oh God!" she hissed out just as I pushed two fingers inside her wet heat and curled them to rub her g-pot.

"What do you want? Tell me what you want, kitten?" I asked urgently. I needed to be inside her and soon but I needed to hear her say it first.

"Fuck me." She whispered.

"What was that? I didn't hear you." I whispered back.

"Fuck. Me!" she demanded loudly before she grabbed the back of my head and crashed her lips to mine. I yanked her trousers down her legs and she opened my own before giving the same treatment. I felt her wrap her hand around my cock and pull it out of my boxers. I broke away long enough to groan at the sensations and to push my boxers down my hips and legs to join my trousers around my ankles. I stepped away to allow Bella to step out of her own trousers and took a moment to gaze at her luscious body.

"Turn around and bend over, baby. This is going to be hard and fast." I ordered as I guided her to face away from me.

I took another moment to gently stroke her exposed behind and feel the softness of her skin before I could wait no longer. I stepped back towards her and grabbed her hips before spreading her legs wider with my own. I settled behind her and trailed my right hand round to her front and down to her sex. She was so wet. For me. Using my two fore fingers, I opened up her lower lips and gently guided myself into her with my left hand. I threw my head back and moaned at the feeling of her tight, wet heat wrapping around my cock and as always, the feeling of home washed over me. I started a gentle rhythm of small thrusts in and out. I brought my right hand back up her body to cup her right breast, rubbing my thumb over her pebbled nipple.

"Oh fuck. That's good. That's so good. More." Bella moaned out breathlessly.

"More?" I returned in an equally breathless voice.

"Yes, more." Bella demanded.

"Your wish..." I trailed off.

I pulled out almost the entire way, leaving just my head in her and waited for a moment; adjusting so that my left hand gripped her hip tighter and then slammed in forcefully causing Bella to moan loudly. I pulled out again and thrust in harder with each following stroke. My right hand continued to trace circles around her right nipple and my left hand pulled her back to me as I pushed into her. I felt the beginnings of my orgasm in the tightening of my balls and my pace turned frenzied. I released her nipple and trailed my hand back down to her pussy to press on her clit. I needed her to cum as I was not going to last longer. Her sighs and moans were spurring me on, causing me to slam into her heat harder and harder with each thrust.

"Fuck yeah. Right there! Harder, Edward! Give it to me harder!" she shouted out.

"I'm so close baby. So damn close." I whimpered back.

I could feel my cock throbbing with the need to release, lengthening it. Her walls were contracting around me so I knew that it wouldn't be very long before she came around me and I was desperate to feel that. I stepped up the pressure on her clit, rubbing in furious circles and without warning her walls squeezed me tightly as she orgasmed. I slowed down to experience the ride with her. There was no other feeling in the world than the feel of her cumming around me. As soon as her orgams subsided I pulled out of her and turned her around to face me, another idea coming to me. I kissed her as I stroked my length, loving the feeling of her juices coating me, helping me. I kissed her hungrily as her hand joined mine around me. Pumping me.

"Cum for me, honey. Cum on me." She whispered against my lips and I felt myself harden even further at her words. She knew what I wanted. She always did.

"Oh fuck, Baby! Fuck yeah! Oh yes!" I grunted with each pump and squeeze of her hand, my own falling away. I thrust my hips against her and watched as she leaned back on the desk, exposing her pelvic to the line of fire from my cock. She trailed her free hand down to her pussy and traced her labia and clit; rubbing her cum around herself. The sight was enough. With a guttural groan of her name, I came. Hard. I watched as thick streams shot from me onto her pelvic bone and the top of her mound. I moaned at the visual before me. It was the most erotic thing I had ever experienced.

It felt like an age before my orgasm subsided, leaving me trembling and feeling spent. I grasped the table on either side of Bella and leaned forward to rest my forehead on her collarbone, breathing deeply to regain control. I felt Bella place a soft kiss on my neck.

"I love you, Tiger." She murmured gently.

"I love you, Kitten." I replied softly.

"It's always been you." She whispered. I raised my head to gaze into her beautiful eyes. I saw nothing but love and devotion and for the millionth time since we had reunited, I felt like the luckiest man alive.

"It'll _always_ be you." She whispered again.

* * *

><p>THE END<p>

**A/N – Oh my God. I can't believe that I actually typed those two words. Two years and months of writer's block and I've finally done it. Finally! There's just an epilogue to go, which should hopefully be posted later this week and then we say goodbye for good to Tiger and Kitten. Yes, I'm crying...wouldn't you if you had fight as much as I did to finish this?**

**Let me know what you guys think. Did I give it a good ending? Or have I missed anything that you want addressed in the epi or re-write (if it comes to that!).**

**One last time, folks – As always R&R!**


	32. Epilogue

**A/N – I know I said that I would be posting this later this week, but it was already written so I figured – Why not?  
>This chapter is dedicated to sparklevampFTW and MrsEdwardCullenP. The credit goes to them entirely!<strong>

**So without anymore ranting, I give you the last **_**EVER**_** chapter of **_It's Always Been Him_**. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<br>BPOV – Two Years Later**

It was a beautiful day for a wedding. Not mine. Emmett and Rose's. No, I had already had my day. On a hot August day last year, I married the man I had loved consciously for ten years and probably sub-consciously for sixteen. Our wedding was small and perfect. We only had family and friends in attendance. The ceremony took place in a small church in Malibu that overlooked the white sandy beach. Our reception was a cookout right there on that same beach under the stars and in the company of those that mattered the most to me. To us.

Looking at the way Emmett was gazing at Rose now reminded me of the way in which Edward looked at me as I walked down the small aisle on my father's arm towards him.

The same devotion and awe. The same love shining through his tear filled gaze. The same loving smile playing upon his lips. The only difference was the groom. I looked back across the dias and found Edward looking towards not the bride walking down the aisle, but at me. The love, devotion and awe shown clearly on his face that had been there on 25th August last year. I smiled back at him and mouthed 'I love you'. His smile grew in response and he mouthed back 'I love you too, baby'.

Baby.

I had a surprise for Edward. I had only found out two day ago and the only person who knew was Alice so far. She was with me when I almost fainted and after asking me about my symptoms, she dragged me to the pharmacy to purchase a pregnancy test. Apparently, birth control isn't as effective when mixed with antibiotics and my husband's super sperm. Huh. Who knew? Definitely not me!

I wasn't upset. In fact, I was downright giddy about it. I was worrying about Edward's reaction though. We had not discussed having children in detail. All we had decided on was to wait a while. I wondered if a year after marriage constituted as a while in his books?

Now I just had to hope and pray that my plans to tell him went off without a hitch.

The last year and a half had been a whirlwind. Once the dust settled, we found ourselves in a courtroom sooner than we'd have liked. The trail for Jacob, Renee and Jared took five long days. Aro, thankfully, was gracious enough to give me the time off. Funnily enough, he thought I wanted to be there to support my mother through her difficult fortune. His words, not mine. I didn't correct him.

Renee was given seven years in prison with the possibility of parole after four years, Jacob earned a total of twenty years with no parole and Jared got the same. The attempted murder charge stuck. Renee's claims of temporary insanity were laughed out of the court when the court appointed shrink deemed her fit and healthy with a sound mind. I still think she's crazy and definitely not in a temporary way either, but who am I to argue with the professionals?

The swelling of the music brought me out of my thoughts just in time to see Emmett dip Rose backwards to lay a powerful smooch on her. I laughed as other's coughed and snickered. I heard Edward sniggering behind his hand and looked at him with a raised eyebrow in a '_What are you laughing at?_' kind of way. He raised his own back in the answer of '_What?_'. I shook my head at him. He knew what I meant. He did the same thing to me on our wedding last year, only he went one step beyond and proceeded to pretty much dry hump me right there in front of God and family.

I really couldn't talk though. I gave as good as I got. Hey, you try not making love to your hot as fuck fiancé for two weeks and we'll see how you do.

Stupid sex embargo's. Never again I tell you. Never. Again!

Several hours later and the reception was in full swing at _8384_ and there was a throng of bodies making fool's of themselves on the dance floor to the beats of ABBA's 'Dancing Queen'. I was sitting at the head table in Edward's chair while he made a trip to the bar for our drinks. He seemed suspicious that I had asked for just a glass of water but I brushed it aside with the time honoured lie of 'I'm too tired to drink'. He returned quickly and bent to kiss my forehead before placing the drinks on the table and motioning for me to get up. I rose from the seat and he stepped around me. He gracefully sat down and pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around me and gently cradling me to his body. We quietly watched the dancer for a long moment before he broke the silence.

"So when are you gonna tell me?" he asked suddenly.

I turned my head to look at him and was surprised by the nervous look on his face, "Tell you what, honey?" I replied in confusion, though I felt my heart constrict with the lie.

I watched as Edward pulled the white stick from his pocket and laid it on the table before us. I stared at the stick for several long moments before turning back to face Edward. I searched his eyes for anger and hurt but all I found was love and joy. His hand moved to rest on my lower stomach as I continued to gaze into his eyes.

_Really?_ His eyes asked.

I nodded and smiled softly.

His eyes lit up and a wide smile spread over his face, lighting it from inside out.

"Baby?" he murmured quietly.

"Yes." I don't know if I was responding to his nickname for me or the question of my pregnancy, but the answer fit both.

His eyes filled with tears and his hand rubbed gentle circles on my still flat belly, "When did you find out?" he questioned.

I placed my hand over his, "Two days ago. You?" I returned.

"This morning when I went to take the trash bags out. I found it in the bathroom trashcan." He answered, sounding stunned.

"I was planning on telling you tonight at home. I had a whole plan." I shot back playfully.

"A plan, huh? What kind of plan?" he replied teasingly.

I sighed, "I got you a gift. You can still have it when we get home." I offered.

"I look forward to it." He paused and glanced down at where our hands were resting, intertwined, "Who else knows and do you know how far along you are?"

"Only Alice. She was with me when I nearly fainted and dragged me to get the test. I have an appointment with the OB/GYN for Monday. I'm hoping you'll come with me." I answered.

"Of course I'll come with-. Wait. Did you say you nearly fainted? Where? When? Are you ok? Is the baby ok?" he asked frantically.

I giggled, "You're going to be one of those over-protective father's to be, aren't you?" I teased.

He ran a hand through his hair – a sure sign of frustration and then spoke slowly, "Baby, you are my life and now so is this baby. I love you and I need you. More than you will ever know." He whispered as he pulled me closer into his body.

I felt myself tear up at the blatant sincerity in his voice. Stupid hormones. Life should be a joy for the next nine months.

"Out of curiosity; what was my present? I know it's not the pregnancy stick wrapped in gift wrap. So what was it?" he asked after I had calmed slightly.

"You sure you want to know and not just wait to see it?" he nodded eagerly. I pulled out the picture I had taken at Build-A-Bear and passed it to him. It was a stuffed tiger cub with a cream t-shirt and the words 'I'm Daddy's Cub!' emblazoned in red across the chest. I had selected a tiger with green eyes to match Edward's eyes and had had a picture of Edward smiling printed onto the shirt under the letters. I watched as Edward's eyes teared up again only to over this time. He stared at the picture and traced a finger over the word 'Daddy' with reverence.

"It's beautiful, baby. Thank you." He whispered before he kissed me passionately.

We had been through a lot. But we had a lot to look forward to aswell. And I for one, could not wait.

* * *

><p><strong>EPOV – Three Years Later<strong>

"Ethan Charles, Arya Carlie, get your trouble behinds down here at once!" I heard my beautiful wife yell as I walked in the door. I found her standing at the foot of the stairs with her hands on her waist. I snuck up behind her and slipped my hands around her waist and rested them on her expanded belly.

Yeah, Bella and I had twins the first time and were now expecting another little angel...or terror, depending on when you asked my wife what it was. If you were to ask right now, I'm sure she would say it was a devil child, but that could just be her out of whack hormones talking.

"Edward Anthony, your children think they are Picasso. Just look at my dining room wall! I don't know which one did it, but you had better handle this!" she shouted at me before she tore from my grasp and stomped away towards the kitchen. I sighed. They were always 'My children' when they had done something naughty. When they behaved, they were hers. Which is funny because we were constantly teased that only we could have managed a 'His and Hers' kids.

Ethan Charles Cullen was my mirror image. Right down to my last habit and tick. He had all of my features. My bronze unruly hair, my green eyes, my pale skin and my gangly frame. He talked like me, he walked like me and my mother swore he even threw tantrums like I did at three years of age.

Ayra Carlie Cullen on the other hand was all Bella. Right down to the last freckle. Brown hair with red streaks in the sun, brown eyes that sparkled, translucent skin that shimmered and glowed. Like Ethan, Arya walked and talked like her mother and had the same stubborn streak a mile long.

But.

They- along with their mother and the new addition we were expecting – were my entire world. My whole universe rested on their smiles and there was nothing I wouldn't do to see those smiles. Even face my wife's hormonal wrath.

"Ethan! Arya! Come here, please." I shouted up the stairs.

My children stampeded down the stairs, making it sound like we had a herd of elephants in the house instead of two mischievous three year olds. They came to a stop before me and grinned up at me sheepishly.

"Hi Daddy." My beautiful three year olds lisped, immediately melting me. I still remembered the day they had said their first word. Of course it was 'Dada'.

**Flashback**

_I was in the lounge, watching ESPN and the twins were seven months old. They were bouncing happily in their swings with the strains of 'Hush Little Baby' played softly on their mobiles. Bella was putting in a couple of hours at the office to finish off the notes on a case that she had going to court next week. She had cut down to part time hours when she went back after her six months maternity leave, but normally would take the twins into the office with her and drop them off at the crèche on the ground floor of the building next door. She only did five hours every other day so it wasn't so bad. Being the co-owner of my company, I could take time off as and when I felt the need to. I had no pressing meetings today, so I opted to stay at home and spend the day with the twins, giving Bella a small break._

_Besides, they were my kids too and I loved spending time with them._

_I had just risen from my seat to grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen when I heard it. Soft as a whisper from behind me._

"_Dada."_

_I turned back slowly to stare at my son, my mini-me – unable to believe my ears._

_I walked slowly over to stand before their swing and looked down at my two angels, "What was that, Ethan? Did you just say 'Dada'?" I asked in trembling voice._

"_Dada." My daughter chirped from beside her brother. I gave choked laugh and sank down to my knees._

"_Say it again, princess. C'mon, call me again." I begged tearfully._

"_Dada. Dada. Dada. Dada!" both my children coursed at once._

_I let out a sob/laugh and reached forward to pick first my son and then my daughter up out of their swing and brought them into my chest, hugging tightly as I cried tears of joy. I sat on the floor for long time as I alternately cried and laughed whilst I hugged them and rocked back and forth._

_I was still there when Bella came home twenty minutes later._

**End Flashback**

They said 'Mama' two days later.

I shook myself out of my thoughts and tried to look stern as I gazed down at their cherub faces. I sighed in defeat. I couldn't help it. These two owned me; body and soul. I ruffled my hair and watched in amusement as Ethan did the same, but in contrition. I kneeled down in front of them and pouted playfully making them giggle.

"C'mere you little monsters." I said as I pulled them into my chest for a hug. I kissed each of their foreheads before speaking again, "You know Momma is upset, right?" I asked gently. They nodded.

"Do you know _why_ Momma is upset?" I continued. They shook their heads. I sighed again and settled more comfortably on the floor in front of them.

"What are the rules of our house?" I attempted to lead them to where I wanted them to be in order to understand what had upset their mother so much.

"One. Never hit anuffer in angaw." Ethan started.

"B. Awways be powite and re...re..." Arya scrunched up her tiny button nose in frustration.

"Weepectful." Ethan finished for her.

"Fank oo." Arya whispered shyly.

I couldn't help but smile at them. They were too cute for words.

"And?" I asked.

"Never hurt Momma's fweelwings." They finished together proudly.

I gave them a small clap of congratulations, "Well done. Now, wouldn't you agree that drawing on Momma's walls is hurting her feelings?" I prodded gently.

They both widened their eyes in realisation and looked at one another in slight panic before turning and running to find their mother and apologise. They didn't have to go far. I looked up to see her standing in the doorway to the kitchen with our twins wrapped around her legs and saying 'Swowwi." Over and over as she gazed at me with a loving smile and tear filled eyes. She ran each hand through the twins hair and mouthed 'I love you' towards me before pulling the twins away from her legs and leaning down as far as her pregnant belly would allow to kiss them softly on each brow before whispering that she loved them and forgave them. She sent them to wash up for dinner and then straightened up and beckoned me forward.

As soon as I reached her she brought my head down by my neck and kissed me passionately.

"I love you, Tiger." She whispered against my lips.

"And I love you, Kitten." I murmured back before kissing her soft lips once again.

This was my life. This was my entire world.

*********IABH*********

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><p><strong>AN – Sigh. That's it. It's done. The last chapter has been posted and the 'Complete' button has been hit. All that's left is to hear from you guys.**

**It has been quite a journey to get here and I never would have made it if it weren't for all my readers who stuck with me to the bitter end and two very special ladies mentioned in my dedication above– sparklevampFTW and MrsEdwardCullenP. These two have given me the last push I needed to get this finished and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Without them, this chapter would not be here.**

**As always R&R!**


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